December 2016
love - 4th week of Advent
20 - 12/16 /11:20
The raunchy movie Love Actually makes a culturally radical claim: Love has almost nothing to do with sex. If you want to witness love, the voice-over announces, hang out in the Arrivals Area of any major airport anywhere in the world. Read More…
joy - 3rd week of Advent
13 - 12/16 /14:46
Weddings are joyful events, everywhere and in every culture. This past weekend we attended a wedding in a foreign country…Texas. It was pure joy!
Joy is the outward expression not of emotion, but of a deep and abiding character quality. Happiness is a valuable emotion, a feeling—and its fun to be happy. But joy is different. Joy is an expression that bubbles up from a deep reservoir of satisfaction, peace, contentment, love, confidence, belonging and optimism. One reason weddings are joyful events is that guests gather in anticipation of witnessing an outward expression of a deep and abiding love between a woman and a man. Read More…
Joy is the outward expression not of emotion, but of a deep and abiding character quality. Happiness is a valuable emotion, a feeling—and its fun to be happy. But joy is different. Joy is an expression that bubbles up from a deep reservoir of satisfaction, peace, contentment, love, confidence, belonging and optimism. One reason weddings are joyful events is that guests gather in anticipation of witnessing an outward expression of a deep and abiding love between a woman and a man. Read More…
peace - 2nd week of Advent
06 - 12/16 /15:49
When diplomats talk they often reference “conditions that make for peace,” or some similar phrase.
We live in a culture that fervently believes peace can be negotiated. That systems can be put in place which will break down the obstacles to peace: injustice, lack of access to resources or opportunities, bigotry, selfishness. Historically, however, peace has seldom been achieved through negotiation. Occasionally a kind-of-peace has been won via conflict; sometimes with great violence—as in 1945. But other times with less violence—America's fight for civil rights and South Africa’s overthrow of Apartheid. Read More…
We live in a culture that fervently believes peace can be negotiated. That systems can be put in place which will break down the obstacles to peace: injustice, lack of access to resources or opportunities, bigotry, selfishness. Historically, however, peace has seldom been achieved through negotiation. Occasionally a kind-of-peace has been won via conflict; sometimes with great violence—as in 1945. But other times with less violence—America's fight for civil rights and South Africa’s overthrow of Apartheid. Read More…