Brief Moments

      On a daily basis this spring of 2014 I far too often see a spirit of fear driving the attitudes and behavior in customers, co-workers and organizational leadership.  It's often not the larger global awareness causing concern regarding Putin's dubious expansion into Ukraine, the new outbreaks of Ebola, Al Qaeda threats, the Syrian war, Afghanistan or any other ongoing/emerging crisis far from home.  Most are too unaware of what's happening globally because our lives are too busy trying to survive. Paying attention requires too much additional learning and understanding which might require doing something.      Some of this fear stems from a completely dysfunctional U.S. government bent on opposing anything the other party desires or focusing so tightly on extremely uneducated philosophies that at no level can they be trusted to do what's in the best interest of citizens.  The perception that our government only works for large cor...

     Wondering through the alphabet this week on K for the A-to-Z Challenge Kerygma caught my eye as not typical.  It's a derivation of the Greek relating to preaching the good news of Christ, and more specifically translated in the New Testament in  Luke 4:18-19, Romans 10:14, Matthew 3:1 .      My spirituality is not a hidden characteristic, having portrayed Jesus for the Berrien County Council of Churches as well as Paul, Moses, and others for drama ministries around the turn of the century.  My theology also doesn't fit neatly into the boxes many denominations prescribe after having taught every book in the bible for adult studies for many years, and leading seminars on prayer as well.  Some theoretical discussion is available at Losing Common Knowledge , a previous post.      This post isn't about converting anyone from what they believe to what I may believe, which continues to grow and change...

     Around 18 months ago we hosted a going away party for our oldest son before he embarked on service to our country in Iraq and Kuwait.  He returned home early last September and began a long battle with the State of Michigan much harder than getting shot at in the Middle East.      While overseas, he'd managed to buy a jeep from a dealership in Wayland, and last fall paid to take two classes at Lake Michigan College not on the GI Bill, but with his own money.   As a combat engineer in the Army National Guard , he had regular Guard trainings til now, but being honest with potential employers that he was shipping to Afghanistan with his younger brother this spring, employment opportunities were not forthcoming.      So when eligible he applied to Unemployment Insurance Agency for unemployment.  He went to Michigan Works and filled out the appropriate paperwork.  Almost immediately he received a ...