Oklahoma and Other Storms

May 21, 2013 by

I admit, these moments are hard for me.  By “these moments” I mean the ones when natural disasters ruin the lives that people, like you and me, have spent years building, nurturing, growing, loving. Although we’ve advanced enough to explain them, even predict them, we’re still at a loss and dumbstruck when we are victimized by them. No matter their nature—hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes—we most frequently describe these moments of unsolicited and indiscriminate violence as “acts of God.” Maybe we do this in an attempt to make sense of them somehow … like we don’t understand how or why this would happen, but maybe he does. That ties me up in knots, and makes my eyes water even as I type this. Acts of God. If this is true, does it makes sense then to pray...

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Remembering Well A Love Lost

Apr 14, 2013 by

“Take from me all that You please for all I have You have graciously given.  Strength and health my gifts and wealth all  Yours to spend for as long as I’m living.” Nicole Walters, Yours to Spend The evening was nothing but pleasant.  It was only seldom that Ryan got to extract himself from the rigors of college football to come home and share a meal, talk, and just be.  As usual, when he twisted the door open, our dog Jack was the first to meet him, wagging so hard he could hardly keep his balance on his four legs.   Over dinner, we talked about how practices were going, what was going on with his team mates and about his high school sweetheart Tara, or That Girl as we call her.  He regaled us...

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