I’ve noticed lately how much of our conversation is about “them.” If you pay attention, our discourse is immersed in a sea of “otherizing.” Over at Bouncing Back today I defined otherizing as the process of discerning and accentuating differences between people so it’s apparent one group is clearly not like us–they’re the “others.” Homeless folks […]
Continue readingOtherizing
HAPPY MONDAY! The baby in the manger brings us an odd word-of-the-week… OTHERIZING “Stop otherizing.” It’s the Christmas message, the thing the baby’s been trying to tell me. Other-izing: the process of discerning and accentuating differences between people so it’s apparent one group is clearly not like us–they’re the “others.” The whole point of Christmas was […]
Continue readingSelma And Courage
I heard some folks discussing the upcoming movie SELMA yesterday. I’m anxious to see the movie. I hope it’ll contribute in a positive way to the current national dialogue. The discussion drifted to the danger faced by those who marched. One person wondered, “Where did Dr. King and his followers find the courage to continue […]
Continue readingWhile I Wait…
What’s the baby in the manger trying to tell me? I keep looking at the scene surrounding His birth. I’m wondering what it means for me right now, trying to figure out what I’m supposed to learn while I wait. # # # Don’t cling to your life. When you empty yourself, you discover your […]
Continue readingDo You Ask Questions You Can’t Answer?
I wish I could talk to the baby in the Nativity scene. I know–it’s only a wooden carving, and conversations with babies tend to be sort of one-sided anyway. And it’s Jesus, so I can talk to Him whenever I want. It’s just that when I look at the baby I wish the man He […]
Continue readingHope And The Christmas Star
Jiminy Cricket famously advised Pinocchio to wish upon a star. It’s a cute song, but I’m not sure it’s wise to accept life coaching advice from a bug. I don’t believe in wishes any more than I believe in the twenty-seven versions of Santa Claus that recently invaded our house. There’s a star in the Christmas […]
Continue readingAffirmation
HAPPY MONDAY! A visit to a wonderful community brings today’s word-of-the-week… AFFIRMATION In September we were honored to speak to a group of folks at a homeless shelter in downtown Madison, Wisconsin. We gathered in a circle before the meeting began and read the following affirmation in unison. We gather as family and as friends. […]
Continue readingHow Would You Answer A Little Boy’s Question
On December 10, 1986, Elie Wiesel delivered one of the influencal speeches in history. The occasion was his acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize. Wiesel looked back to himself as a small boy entering the Holocaust and asked, “Can this be true? Who would allow such crimes to be committed? How could the world remain […]
Continue readingI Won!
I never thought about being a lottery winner. A close friend reminded me earlier this week that as a white, male, native-born U.S. citizen, I’ve cashed three winning tickets. I also grew up in a relatively stable middle class family with access to decent k-12 education. That’s at least two more winners. My friend’s right. […]
Continue readingThe First Advent
If Advent’s about anticipation, what was that first Advent like for Jesus? I look at the helpless baby in the manger and wonder what it was like as He waited. Because He wasn’t always a baby. Time had never been an issue, but now there was this moment in time when everything would change. He […]
Continue readingWho You Are, What You Do
You do what you are. That’s sort of backwards from the usual message, but I think I like it. My friend Jon Swanson writes a great blog called 300 Words A Day. I encourage you to add it to your reading list. Jon has this great way of using everyday stuff to talk about following […]
Continue readingWhat’s Bike Riding Got To Do With Justice?
Why is a blog about a bike ride so concerned with justice? Fair question, if this is a blog about a bike ride. It’s not. RICH’S RIDE isn’t about Rich and it isn’t about a ride. We’re about using the platform of handcycle rides to share a message of hope and God’s faithfulness. A piece […]
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