The Reflections are my occasional writings on faith and life as I try to make sense of and find God at work in daily life. My purpose is chiefly personal. I want to better understand what it is I think and believe. I find writing a necessary task for this clarification.
In a PBS American Experience special, Garrison Keillor says about writing: "You do not know what you, yourself, think until you put it into words."
Keillor's words ring true to me. Inside my head, I put together what seem to be clear, insightful, and sometimes even profound thoughts. But then I try to share the thought with another and I realize it was coherent only in my mind. Or the other person quickly points out the hidden flaw, dashing my big idea. The challenge is greater when writing my thoughts. At early tries, words do not come together sensibly and the seemingly profound thought reads as quite trite. Writing also forces me to be clear and exact. I remember the words of a college professor who insisted on long, essay exams: "Writing maketh a person exact!"
Accepting the challenge to write about life can make one more attuned to possible meaning in events ... even ordinary events. As a school principal, I kept a daily journal for two years. Knowing I had to snatch something from the day to write about, I kept a closer eye on the stream of events surrounding me than I might have without this daily challenge. (See more about my journal and some excerpts at Principal's Diary on my business website.)
A Disclaimer: I have taken a few courses in religion and had some formal training in teaching the bible. (See the FAQs for details.) However, I am NOT a theologian, biblical scholar, or expert in the scriptures. My writings are solely those of a lay person. I write claiming no authority beyond my own grappling with understanding God and the issues of life. But, I do claim that I have taken God and the nature of my faith seriously. I do not want a "bumper sticker" faith. I desire a faith that is open to grow and change as influenced by the events of my life and that can stand not only in the mountain-top experiences and those tough times that can challenge anyone's faith ... but also in the Ordinary Time.
A Hope: While I write out of a personal need and for myself, I write in this public format so others might read my thoughts. I do not write with the hope others will be convinced that what I say makes sense. Nor do I hope others will necessarily agree or disagree. I do hope that by reading these reflections, others might be stimulated to look anew at life and their faith. That would be special indeed!