Starvation as a Weapon of War

Each of the gospels includes the story of the feeding of the five thousand men and the uncounted women and children. In each account, (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6: 1-21) Jesus has just heard about the death of his cousin, John the Baptist, and he is deeply distressed. He decides that he … Read more

Woe to You

On July 12, 2025, the Speaker of the House, MAGA Mike Johnson (R, La.), posted an op-ed on X. (Yes, the same MAGA Mike that just sent the House home for summer vacation to prevent a vote on the release of the Epstein files.) The post was a written response applauding a recent ruling by … Read more

The Cry of Children

Our good friend and neighbor, Barbara, is enjoying a three-week visit by her daughter and daughter-in-law and her two grandchildren. They all love the lake, and our grandson, Cole, loves having them here. We have a water blanket for them that we tie to the edge of the dock. They run the length of the … Read more

Thoughts on the Fourth of July 2025

American Flag Flying

The Fourth of July on the lake is always fun. The town of Coventry sponsors a spectacular fireworks display the week before, and during the week after the fireworks, lake residents prep up their properties for the holiday, displaying bunting on their docks and decks and hanging signs somewhere on the property that tell how … Read more

This Is Our Time to Stand

On June Fourteenth, yet another heinous act of violence took place and staggered the nation. After allegedly taking months of planning, a shooter assassinated a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband and attempted as well to kill a second state elected politician. The murder spree unfolded over a roughly ninety-minute time span. The suspect, 57-year-old Vance … Read more

The Hardest Moral Task We Face

We are now in the season of Pentecost, remembering what it was like that day in Jerusalem when tongues of fire rested on the disciples, and ‘devout Jews from every nation under heaven and living in Jerusalem’ created a clash of languages. Out of the many, however, there came forth one that each understood. Peter … Read more

Pentecost People- Revisited

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As was indicated in my last blog, I find myself in a nostalgic place these days, reflecting on how blessed I have been in my life by so many “connections, gatherings and a sense of community,” all a part of a powerful, shared story. (Jean Houston) Today’s blog post reflects that sense of nostalgia. Its … Read more

The Secret Sauce

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Over the years, Lois and I have dabbled in doing diets. We tried the Atkins Diet, the South Beach Diet, the Mediterranean Diet, Intermittent Fasting, and our most go-to diet, WW (formerly, Weight Watchers.) I was saddened by the news last week that Weight Watchers was filing for bankruptcy, a victim of the new and … Read more

Salt of the Earth and Light of the World

The following biblical verses are recognized for their inspirational and affirmational qualities within the scripture.  One day Jesus gathered his disciples on a mountainside and preached to them about the kingdom of God and how to find a sense of blessedness in the way they live their lives.  These few lines, simple and straight forward, … Read more

The Boys in the Boat

The ‘snow birding’ Johnsons returned home from Florida last Friday to their lakefront retreat, much to the chagrin of the geese who obviously had their way with our property for the winter months. The grass was green and needed a mow. Tree branches, winter’s debris, were strewn all over the lawn, but the white dogwood … Read more