Inside the Minds of Valerie and Mike (and Anna)
In all reality, VMWishes.com was born August 19, 1989. On that date, Valerie and I married in Champaign, Illinois. The moniker “VMWishes,” did not come around for another year or so... Just married and just out of college, Valerie had just started her first real job and I was in graduate school. Bottom line... we could... Continue Reading →
Musings for Maundy Thursday: In Jesus’ time, banquets were commonly structured on the form of Greco-Roman banquets, though did not necessarily include the debauchery. Upon arriving at a banquet, guests would be offered a bowl of water to wash their hands and a servant would wash the guest’s feet. Tonight’s first portion of the reading... Continue Reading →
It’s poetic and maybe a bit ironic that this year’s Palm Sunday and the third “No Kings” day fell on the same weekend. Makes me wonder if scheduling the latest “No Kings” day on the eve of Palm Sunday was intentional, that someone(s) on the planning committee would have understood the imagery and messaging of... Continue Reading →
“Why didn’t you…” “If only I…” How many times do we start with these words when something goes wrong, when we face difficult days, or when tragedy strikes? We have expectations of others and ourselves for certain outcomes. Sometimes, maybe oftentimes, those expectations are not met. That is the experience of Mary and Martha in... Continue Reading →
John 9:1-41 There are four stories of healing physical blindness in the New Testament, two in Mark, one in Matthew, and this one in John. Not surprisingly, the story in John varies quite a bit from the others. In the first Mark story (8:22-26), an un-named man is brought to Jesus for healing by “some... Continue Reading →
John 4:(1-4) 5-42 At this year’s Extravaganza, a youth ministry conference hosted by the ELCA Youth Ministry Network, I participated in a day and half workshop titled “The Lay Preacher’s Primer: How to Craft a Faithful Sermon, led by Karoline Lewis, professor of Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary. This passage, the story of the Samarian... Continue Reading →
1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with that person.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell... Continue Reading →
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— 13 for sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who... Continue Reading →
We recently had the opportunity to spend time with friends at their little place in a small village in Pennsylvania. When the skies and the moon cooperate, it’s a pretty decent place to star gaze, at least compared to where we live in the suburbs. And even though the moon was full, it didn’t rise... Continue Reading →
Due to some unusual circumstances and given that I was already prepping a children’s sermon, I was asked if I would lead worship using the Service of the Word liturgy. The invitation also included the note that a sermon was not expect on such short notice…24 hours. It was enough to consider how to adjust... Continue Reading →
As we enter this Advent season, I'm finding it difficult to contemplate what is down the road for the next four years (and beyond). Like so many folks, I feel betrayed by so many of my countrymen that wear the banner of patriotism while espousing ideas that are so far from why I am proud... Continue Reading →
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