Poor in spirit

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. — Matthew 5:3, NLT (Jesus speaking) This was Jesus' first recorded statement in what is known as his Sermon on the Mount. I have a feeling it left his audience a bit puzzled.Poor in spirit. What does it mean?You could ... Continue reading

Broken crucibles, part 2

Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. —Malachi 4:5,6, NLT Eugene O'Neill fathered three children that we know of, but he didn't ... Continue reading

Broken crucibles, part 1

I was pregnant, I wanted to keep the baby, but I had to realistically acknowledge that I was far too immature to raise a child. How could I penalize a baby that way? Adoption. ... My maternal instincts are frighteningly strong, and it would have been like tearing my heart out to put my baby into a ... Continue reading

National Depression Screening Day – October 7

In any given 1-year period, 9.5 percent of the [US] population... suffer from depressive illness. The economic cost for this illness is high, but the cost in human suffering cannot be estimated. Depressive illnesses often interfere with normal functioning and cause pain and suffering not only to ... Continue reading

Forgiving our fathers

Susanna: I think you're exaggerating. You were his only child, his son, his blood. In this photo he doesn't look like a man who doesn't love his son. Charlie: Nothing I did was good enough for that guy. Don't you understand that? —Rain Man, 1988 Bonnie: He's not afraid of losing. He's afraid of ... Continue reading