“In December 2012, a gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and killed 20 children, six adults, and himself. Since then, there have been at least 1,607 mass shootings, with at least 1,846 people killed and 6,459 wounded.” (https://www.vox.com/a/mass-shootings-sandy-hook) Here is a map… read more →
Walter Breuggeman in Reality, Grief, Hope provides a scripture-based process for coming to terms with the signs of the times.” In an earlier post, I dealt with the reality process of becoming clear about what has happened. In this case, it… read more →
Walter Breuggemann in Reality, Grief, Hope: Three Urgent Prophetic Tasks provides what was to me a revitalized understanding of the ministry of the Hebrew Scripture prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Hosea. The easy popular understanding is that these prophets could foresee the… read more →
I was stunned by the results of the recent presidential election. I had a hard time believing that the electorate would reject a continuation of the social programs that have been so important to our nation: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid,… read more →
Earlier this month, I attended a panel discussion at the World War I National Memorial and Museum in Kansas City. Dr. Matthew Naylor, President of the Museum, made some observations that frightened me. “There has never been a time since… read more →
When I was recently asked what my motto is, I first thought of the sentence that serves as title of this post. I realize that everyone is not always doing the best he or she can. When I reflect on… read more →
A column by David Brooks (NY Times) brought my grandmother, Anna Catherine (Nancy) Campbell Platt Norris to my mind and heart. In the view of most, she had a hard life. At the age of 20 with no education beyond… read more →
As presidential campaigns begin, it is important to understand the difference between these two and the people who benefit from them. The so-called federal entitlement programs include Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid along with a few others. These programs totaled… read more →
Recent search shows that even on a county by county basis, greater income inequality negatively impacts overall health. A study from Population Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin provides evidence that living in a more unequal U.S. county is… read more →
While in Scottsdale, I have been wearing the FitBit that my son, Sean, gave me. It has begun to manage my life. It does not sense by heart rate but it does count my steps. By default it sets a… read more →