Faith & Life Inspirational Message

Sometimes in the evening when I sit down to write another one of these inspirational reflections, I wonder, does anyone “out there” read these things?   Fortunately I do not know how many people read them, although I know some do.   I also know that this has become an important part of my own spiritual discipline.   Of course, there are some days when I really don’t want to do a reflection, but I know right now it is a good discipline for my soul.               For one thing since I write every night, it means I need a modicum of awareness as I go through my day in order to “catch” something in life, which is worthy of spiritual reflection.   When I catch such a moment, then it is important to pay attention.   I realize how easy it is to go through the motions of living.   Even though I interact a great deal with people, it is still too easy to give rote answers and not really engage and exc...

The title of this inspirational reflection was the title of an email my daughter recently sent to me.   I noticed there was a photo attached.   I did not have a clue what the email subject line, a tea party with some friends, might mean.   I know some of my daughter’s friends, so it could be that she met with someone I know and who wanted to wish me well.   Her friends are thoughtful that way.   Of course, it could be about either of her own two kids, my own grandkids.   However, I had no clue what they knew about tea parties!             The text of the email was short, but it set the context.   The text went something like, “things were a little quiet in the basement, so I popped down to find…”   Those words obviously were meant to lead me to the photo, which would connect to the subject line of the email.             So I had to o...

Sometimes I wonder if people give up on religion because they cannot figure out how to do it day by day?   This seems probable to me because I am not sure most of us common people are quite sure how to define religion.   By saying that, I do not mean those of us who went to church or to synagogue are complete idiots when it comes to religion and what it means.      When you know something, it is always difficult to remember when you did not know anything.   Now that I have a Ph.D. in religion, it likely is impossible to remember accurately those Indiana farm days when I did not know beans about religion.   But let me guess nevertheless! I suspect that most Christians, at least, would define religion along the lines of doctrine.   For example, I would assume if you ask the person on the street to define religion, he or she would begin by saying something about believing in God.   Doctrine has to do with believing.   If one is a Chri...

I have always been fascinated with titles.   When you read that sentence, you probably think of book titles.   Certainly, most people would say that book titles are important.   I would not disagree.   But when you think about it further, there are many other kinds of titles.   Since I have paid off my old car, I have the title to that.   It shows that I now own it.   The bank owns the title to most of our houses.   So apparently, a great deal of property comes with titles to show ownership.   But not all ownership is individual.   Some things are owned corporately.   The college where I teach is a private school, so that means there is ownership.   But it is owned corporately.   The appointed trustees, in fact, oversee their ownership responsibilities.   But no single person owns the campus or the buildings.   The same idea pertains to national parks.   All Americans, in effect, own Yosemite National Pa...