According to Wikipedia, the word Pono is from the native language of Hawaii. A common English synonym for Pono is “righteousness.” For example, the motto of the state is Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono. This motto is translated as “The sovereignty of the land is...
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy, tabletop game where each player can choose their own character. Players take on the persona of the character as the players embark on an imaginary adventure within a fantasy setting. The game is monitored and facilitated by a...
This past Wednesday, our Book Club read two articles published in the NY Times on the subject of humility. One of the pieces was from the opinion section of the publication. This article was written by a seminary professor who emphasized that humility is a...
When I get my hair cut, the barber at some point will hand me a mirror so I can let them know if I am satisfied with how my hair looks. I seldom have any complaints or suggestions. Sometimes I will tell them that I’m not much of a “mirror” person. I’m not sure what my...
I got the idea for our subtitle for this week’s message from a new situation comedy. The show is about a family living in the 80’s and dealing with their differences from the norm. The father’s ancestors are from Scotland, while the mother is of African descent. The...
The expression “Food as medicine” is catching on. I’m hoping that it catches on even more. Food is medicine. Some foods are bad medicine and perhaps shouldn’t be called food. Some food is great medicine and could even be called, well, medicine. The healthcare industry...
God, speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, tells the people of Judah, who are in exile in Babylon, to hang in there, but don’t be idle. Instead, “Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what you grow in them.” Building for the future, when you feel like...
Last Sunday, I asked you all to pray for clarity regarding your role in rebuilding our neighborhood. And to ask God for a sign of a next step that involves you. I also asked you to share what you discovered with others and to ask them to pray with you for clarity....
Someday it will be necessary for me to retire. Like strawberry plants, fruit trees, and grapevines, we can produce fruit for many years, but there comes a time when our capacity begins to fade. Cyndi and I live in a parsonage. A parsonage is a house that belongs to a...
It is an ageless lesson. “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” It is the sort of wisdom that a grandparent shares with a child who sees a toy that they think they want rather than the toy that they are holding. It is the advice that a father gives his...