My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,
    in secure homes,
    in undisturbed places of rest.                                                                                                    Isaiah 32:18

My wife and I live in a relatively small Ohio city called Troy. We have lived here for 52 years, and we have loved this place. We have moved to different neighborhoods in the city over the years, but we have always loved this town we live in. How did we get here? Well, that is a long story, and someday I will probably share it, but suffice it to say that we did not plan to live here- it was, we believe, the hand of God.

We have wonderful neighbors, you know, the kind that take in one another’s mail and water plants when one is on vacation; will take in each other’s trash cans; pick up an Amazon order left on the porch; visit with one another outside in the summer- well you get the idea.

This coming Sunday, a large portion of the neighborhood will gather at one neighbor’s home and celebrate St. Joseph day, which happens to be today! The neighbors who throw this party invite the entire neighborhood to celebrate the feast of St. Joseph. The priest from the local Catholic church will offer the blessing, and there will be lots of Italian food, because this couple has a rich Italian heritage.

This type of small-town activity happens all over the country, and indeed, all over the world. In a time when there is so much attention paid to differences in people, gatherings like the one we will attend Sunday show that people want to be good neighbors- kind to one another, and happy to share in the festivities that help define faith and community.

No wonder that we love this place. By the way, happy St. Joesph Day!

Prayer: Lord, what a blessing it is for people to dwell in peace, Amen.  

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.                                                                                  Matthew 5:44-48

So, when Jesus called us to be “perfect” what did he mean? We are all quite clear that we are far from perfect, so what does this calling mean? I think, (as a non-theologian), that Jesus meant that “perfect” was defined as “used as it was meant to be used”. In other words, the perfect condition, the intended condition, of mankind is what he described in the passage above. We are called to love everyone, whether or not they love us. In a perfect creation, we are called to do the supernatural.

Our fallen nature does not allow us to be perfect in this world, but that does not mean that we do not strive to be. It is like choosing to be on the right road. We have a choice to go down the road that God has called us to- that of loving our fellow humans. Even if we choose that right road, there may still be detours, potholes, road hazards, etc. But at least we are on the right road, that is the road of following the commands of Jesus. We will not be perfect at it, but we are on the right road.

If however, we choose the wrong road- the road of selfish ambition, cruelty, carelessness about the plight of others- we have missed the mark completely. That is the wrong road that leads to soul death.

So, take heart. Even when we are not perfect, we can perhaps take comfort about being on the right road. Jesus calls us to that.

Prayer: Lord, help us to follow you to the place you want us, Amen

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in                                                                               Matthew 25:35

One of the enjoyable cultural traditions in America and Ireland, and indeed other countries, is the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. In America, cities like Boston, Chicago and New York (and others of course) have wonderful celebrations of this venerated saint of the Catholic Church. The celebrations include parades, speeches, parties, political appearances, and of course drinking.

On St. Patrick’s Day, people playfully wear buttons that say things like “kiss me, I’m Irish”. Many people wear green of some type to honor the tradition. On this day, many people claim some type of Irish lineage. That is fun, and has become an acceptable part of American life.

However, if you go back to the middle to late 19^th century in the United States, claiming to be Irish was not always celebrated. Indeed, there were often signs posted on mill and factory gates stating “No Irish Need Apply”. After the “great potato famine” in Ireland (1845-52) many Irish emigrated to the United States to simply survive. Many of those immigrants were seen as taking away American jobs. Interestingly, many of those Irish immigrants fought in the American Civil War on the side of the Union, helping to turn the tide of the war.  

We have a checkered history of accepting immigrants into the United States. Some people groups were accepted more than others. After a period of time, assimilation happens, and we forget that we even had set up barriers to those groups. The Irish are one of those groups, others being Italians, Eastern Europeans, and Asians.

So, let us celebrate Americans of Irish lineage and party with them on St. Patrick’s Day! Let us also remember that the American experiment is open to people from around the world.

Prayer: Lord, help us to see beyond borders to welcome your people wherever we are, Amen

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.                             Ephesians 2:8-10

Our pastor shared a message at church yesterday that got me thinking. It reminded me that we are here on earth to live out a mission. We are gifted and directed in different ways to live out that mission, but we all are here for a mission. If we do not have a vision and mission larger than ourselves, then we are just marking time here on earth.

Jesus showed humankind that we all are able, and indeed responsible, to use our gifts, time and talents for the betterment of those around us. The early Christian church distinguished itself by caring for the poor and disadvantaged around them.  That is why the movement got so much traction. It was a new way to see the world- through the eyes of a loving God who cares about ALL people.

So, my friends, whatever your gifts and inclinations, put them to use as your mission in a world that desperately needs your inspiration and energy. The kind that God gave you to share.

Prayer: Lord, you have set us apart to be your hands in a broken world- one that needs you, Amen

There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next…                                             Romans 5:3-4 (The Message)

I have written in blogs past about making small, deliberate, practical changes in order to gain more of a sense of peace and control in our life. Built up over time, such regular disciplines lead to enduring positive change. The key word here is “time”. We all want to feel better right away. We are the epitome of a culture of instant gratification, and we have an insatiable need for immediate results.  

That is why weight loss, for example, is advertised in extreme terms. “Lose 30 pounds in 30 days!” Fat sculpting surgery seems to be the remedy for removal of unwanted fat. On and on we see that immediate relief is wanted, indeed expected. I too have the same malady. When my computer, for example, does not instantly respond to my commands, I can become irritated.

I tell my clients that the drugs that are addictive are the ones that give immediate relief. Indeed, anything that gives immediate relief and pleasure becomes addictive. Food, sex, alcohol, pain killers, gambling, pornography, and other forms of immediate pleasure, all have an addictive potential.

The slow, steady approach to life changes is the only way that works in the long run. No, it is not easy, nor is it quick. However, that approach does work, and it has been thus ever since the world began. We just think that we have a better, quicker way to do things.

Innovation, inventions and other time and labor-saving devices are remarkable and they are a blessing. However, when it comes to human behavior and life changes, slow and steady always wins.

Prayer: Lord, help us to have the patience and discipline to make the lasting changes you would have for us, Amen.

The blog today is a reprint, by permission, from my daughter, Dr. Jennifer Hartwell. This is a tradition that we started about 30 years ago where we would share space in our respective blogs with one another and our readers. Her latest blog, from her site, www. traumamom4.com, is so good I asked her if I could share it. It is titled Two Things at Once. It is about our current political and religious culture in the United States, and I think it should be widely shared.   

In late 2023, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce, starred in a Pfizer ad where he repeated the phrase “Two things at once!” several times, encouraging people to get both their COVID-19 booster and flu shot in a single pharmacy visit. Around the same time, we had a new puppy who loved to play with two toys at the same time. So, we lovingly gave our puppy, Edison, the middle name “Travis” in honor of the ad featuring our hometown football hero. (Edison’s real full name is Edison Alfalfa Travis Joe Hartwell…Edison, to keep the theme as our previous Doodle was named Einstein; Alfalfa for the tuft of hair that always stands up on his head; and Joe, because he looks uncannily like our daughter’s childhood stuffed dog that she oddly named Joe. Names usually have a history…)

While Edison couldn’t have a clue about what is happening in the world today, the story behind his middle name is worthy of consideration when we aim to make sense of the mess we are in. As we become more and more polarized in our nation, I think we have lost our sense of being able to hold that two things can be true at once.

I can be for the liberation of the Iranian people from an authoritarian and violent regime, AND be against the US and Israel’s war on Iran.

I can be for the enforcement of immigration laws, AND be against cruel and disproportionate force against immigrants.

I can be for the separation of Church and State, AND hold deeply sacred personal beliefs in my Christian faith.

I can be for caution and security surrounding our election process, AND be against unnecessary, unproven barriers that disenfranchise voters.

I could go on. But I think you understand the point. We can hold two truths at once.

With 30-second TikTok videos, Instagram memes, and bots on Facebook, we have been baited into believing, and behaving as if, the only correct position is only Democrat or only Republican; far right or far left. We have lost too much of our capacity for nuance; for tension. We have lost our willingness to live and work and breathe in the messy middle.

I get it, though. The stakes feel really high. And they are. Many (most?) of us feel as if democracy is on the line. We are fearful for our freedoms, our rights, and our safety. We may sense we can’t afford to spend precious time in the weeds, appreciating nuance and finding common ground. The most expedient, the safest, thing to do is to choose a side, go deep, and dig in.

But now, more than ever, it’s crucial for us to individually name our beliefs. Decide where we stand. And also pause just long enough to consider how much of what we are told is black and white, we are really willing to beautifully allow to blend into soothing shades of gray.

I am not suggesting that there is room for compromise on everything or that we should loosen our convictions. I am, however, suggesting that we need to give each other space to see the bigger picture. Compassionate immigration enforcement is possible. Pressure on an authoritarian regime is possible without a war. Freedom of religion shouldn’t look even remotely close to theocracy.

In politics, they call it “Reaching across the aisle”. In real life, we call it…holding two things at once.

The blog today is a reprint, by permission, from my daughter, Dr. Jennifer Hartwell. This is a tradition that we started about 30 years ago where we would share space in our respective blogs with one another and our readers. Her latest blog, from her site, www. traumamom4.com, is so good I asked her if I could share it. It is titled Two Things at Once. It is about our current political and religious culture in the United States, and I think it should be widely shared.   

In late 2023, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce, starred in a Pfizer ad where he repeated the phrase “Two things at once!” several times, encouraging people to get both their COVID-19 booster and flu shot in a single pharmacy visit. Around the same time, we had a new puppy who loved to play with two toys at the same time. So, we lovingly gave our puppy, Edison, the middle name “Travis” in honor of the ad featuring our hometown football hero. (Edison’s real full name is Edison Alfalfa Travis Joe Hartwell…Edison, to keep the theme as our previous Doodle was named Einstein; Alfalfa for the tuft of hair that always stands up on his head; and Joe, because he looks uncannily like our daughter’s childhood stuffed dog that she oddly named Joe. Names usually have a history…)

While Edison couldn’t have a clue about what is happening in the world today, the story behind his middle name is worthy of consideration when we aim to make sense of the mess we are in. As we become more and more polarized in our nation, I think we have lost our sense of being able to hold that two things can be true at once.

I can be for the liberation of the Iranian people from an authoritarian and violent regime, AND be against the US and Israel’s war on Iran.

I can be for the enforcement of immigration laws, AND be against cruel and disproportionate force against immigrants.

I can be for the separation of Church and State, AND hold deeply sacred personal beliefs in my Christian faith.

I can be for caution and security surrounding our election process, AND be against unnecessary, unproven barriers that disenfranchise voters.

I could go on. But I think you understand the point. We can hold two truths at once.

With 30-second TikTok videos, Instagram memes, and bots on Facebook, we have been baited into believing, and behaving as if, the only correct position is only Democrat or only Republican; far right or far left. We have lost too much of our capacity for nuance; for tension. We have lost our willingness to live and work and breathe in the messy middle.

I get it, though. The stakes feel really high. And they are. Many (most?) of us feel as if democracy is on the line. We are fearful for our freedoms, our rights, and our safety. We may sense we can’t afford to spend precious time in the weeds, appreciating nuance and finding common ground. The most expedient, the safest, thing to do is to choose a side, go deep, and dig in.

But now, more than ever, it’s crucial for us to individually name our beliefs. Decide where we stand. And also pause just long enough to consider how much of what we are told is black and white, we are really willing to beautifully allow to blend into soothing shades of gray.

I am not suggesting that there is room for compromise on everything or that we should loosen our convictions. I am, however, suggesting that we need to give each other space to see the bigger picture. Compassionate immigration enforcement is possible. Pressure on an authoritarian regime is possible without a war. Freedom of religion shouldn’t look even remotely close to theocracy.

In politics, they call it “Reaching across the aisle”. In real life, we call it…holding two things at once.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.  If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.                                     John 15: 9-15

These words of Scripture are very reassuring- reminding us of God’s ever present love toward us. In John 15 I see God’s incredible plan being spoken clearly by Jesus. He is saying that the plan of the God of the universe is that we love one another just like we love Him, and that such is the essence of life and of pleasing Him. Can one even imagine the magnitude of this plan? That we can please God by loving others? That he only wants our peace and justice toward each other to please Him? That He calls us “friend”? Incredible! Right up there with the incarnation which made it all possible.

In the book of Micah, we also see that same plan laid out centuries before.

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

If we are not living this out every day, at least to some degree, can we really call ourselves followers of Jesus? We look for opportunities to show the love of God to others. In so doing, we fulfill the requirements that Jesus set forth for his followers.

Years ago, our pastor, Mike Slaughter, discussed the importance of five daily disciplines as Christians. The daily disciplines that Mike discussed- pray, and read the Word, inevitably lead to the other daily disciplines that we must practice- give, serve others, and fellowship with other believers.

Again, I am amazed that God has chosen this simple, yet profound truth that we must live by- serve and love others, and you have served and loved Me!

Prayer: Father, thank you for the plans that you have for us, and that you love us and consider us in the ways that you do. Help me to love others and serve them so that you may be honored, Amen.

Since you have been chosen by God who has given you this new kind of life, and because of his deep love and concern for you, you should practice tenderhearted mercy and kindness to others…                         Colossians 3:12

 I was talking with a couple in a counseling session a few weeks ago, and the husband mentioned that when the couple ordered pizza for the family, his wife sometimes really didn’t consider his request for the kind of pizza they would order. She would order what the kids had asked for but sometimes didn’t include him in asking what he would like. She may have assumed that she knew what he liked, or perhaps she thought that he didn’t care enough to speak up, so she just made a decision.  

A little thing to be sure. But he took it as another reminder that she wasn’t considering his needs or wants. Indeed, with this couple, there had been an emotional disconnect that is far more than about pizza. We talked about this situation, and it gave us the opportunity to discuss those issues that were underneath the little pizza situation.

Studies show that when couples practice simple kindness to one another- just showing courtesy and polite behavior- that behavior goes a very long way in increasing couple satisfaction. Yes, people can take each other for granted, and we all are guilty at one time or another of doing that, but those small kindnesses become big things over time. Practicing politeness and courtesy to one another seems like a little thing. But remember, “it’s not about the pizza”.

Prayer: Lord, keep us always mindful of those whom we hold dear so that we can display that love regularly, Amen

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.              Mark 13:32

Many of my readers will recall the 1970’s, especially the turmoil around the oil embargo and energy crisis that left many Americans waiting in long lines at the gas pumps. We were restricted sometimes to the number of gallons allowed to be purchased at one visit. Prices went high, and for the first time, many people worried that the world’s oil supply would be depleted.

This spawned a great deal of social, political, and religious unrest. In the evangelical Christian world, authors such as Hal Lindsey, Salem Kirban, Tim LaHaye, Jerry Jenkins, and others began to write about “end times” prophecy. There was great interest, and not a little anxiety, around the second coming of Jesus. There were predictions of that return, and I recall that there was quite a stir about Jesus returning in 1988 (September, specifically, to coincide with Yom Kippur). That, you see, was the 40^th anniversary of the founding of the modern state of Israel.   

 It struck me then as pretty odd that we spent so much time worrying about end times theology. Today too, there is great interest in eschatology- end times theology- and there are even political discussions based upon a particular theology.   

Jesus said this about the end of times on earth, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. I take that as Jesus saying, “don’t waste your time trying to figure out something you will never know. Just live your life in such a way that, whenever that time comes, you have served your God”.

So, dear readers, you and I do not know when this world will collapse and Jesus will return. Living in the present is the best way to avoid the anxiety of living in the future.

Prayer: Lord, help is to keep the main thing in mind- to love others until whenever the end comes, Amen