Gratitude
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God’s Learning Curve
Bill Moyer's television series Genesis first introduced me to the possibility that the biblical narrative is not only a record of humanity's learning curve, but God's as well. Take the covenant concept: At first, God kept trying to establish agreements… Continue reading
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The River
In Hidalgo there's a riverthat's renewed my faith in grace;strongly flows with cooling waterfor my body and my face. Lord, you knew that this was coming,placed it on our journey back,knew our bodies needed cleansing,and our souls refreshment lacked. So we… Continue reading
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Returning
So I return from a time away, where I have been immersed in negativity and cynicism. I was getting sucked in. Not what I wanted. Not healthy. In such a beautiful setting, ripe with delight and creativity, it's a shame.… Continue reading
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So What Is Good?
One morning, in the middle of many weeks of struggling with work issues, self-doubts and an uncertain job future, I asked myself, "Okay, given all that and how unpleasant it is, what is good right now?" This was the answer:… Continue reading
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Halloween: Embracing Mortality
It's autumn. The earth turns away from the sun, and the days shorten. Winter lurks, shivering and lonely, just around the corner. Trees abandon their leaves, turning inward, bracing themselves. The plants we so carefully cultivated throughout the summer… Continue reading
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Halloween: Hospitality
"Trick of treat!" I remember cold Halloween nights when my siblings and I trick-or-treated back in my hometown in Michigan. With either my mother or my aunt following behind, we'd run door to door through our neighborhood and those beyond,… Continue reading
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Halloween: Remembering the Dead
Most cultures around the world have festivals honoring or remembering the dead. Why is this? Is it to maintain our ties to the past, to acknowledge how we got here and to whom we owe gratitude and respect? Perhaps it's to… Continue reading
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On Writing
Sometimes, when I sit writing in my journal–a pen and paper affair, not on the computer–I am amazed how effortlessly writing occurs. I'm watching these words flow from my pen. What a remarkable thing! I can communicate this way, and… Continue reading
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Advice from the Future
Back in 2004, I was given an interesting challenge, to imagine my self 10 years hence giving advice to myself in the present. What would 10-years-the wiser Dirk have to say to 51-year-old Dirk? Now I'm over half the way… Continue reading