Lingering at the Table One of my favorite memories as a child is going to my Grandma & Grandpa York’s for a family gathering. Grandma, Mom, and all her sisters/sisters-in-law would be in the kitchen preparing the meal.  They filled the kitchen with talk, laughter, and love. As the family gathered around the table for the meal, the talk, laughter and love continued. When the meal was over many would linger around the table to continue the fellowship of

Sometimes people say to let your past be in your past, but the truth I’ve found is that the past plays a huge role and forms us into who we are today.  Everything we have been through shapes our outlook on today. In one sense we never escape our past, but how we use it and more importantly how we allow God to use it makes all the difference in the life we get to live today. A friend

I consider it an undeserved privilege when from time to time I am invited to teach one of our Wednesday evening adult education sessions.  Truth be told, I don’t think of it as “teaching”.  Nor do I think of those times as “education” opportunities.  Rather, it seems to me we are there to share among friends our thoughts and experiences for the purpose of growing in our relationship with the Sacred Mystery we call God, with one another and

Sometimes in Life We Just Need a HUG! “Have you ever noticed how magical a hug can be? They can lift your spirits with the warmth of two arms holding you tight.  Hugs comfort those that need a shoulder to cry on or to heal a broken heart.  Hugs are there to welcome and reconnect us and ground us again in the gift of love.  A child hugs their mother for safety and security.  A hug always shows the

Persevere Through Patience and Faith “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.” (Hebrews 10:36 (NIV). We often talk about when you walk through the doors of PWC you feel the Holy Spirit.  Many of us often feel the Holy Spirit is speaking to us by sending a particular word, phrase, or bible verse to us that is instilled in our minds.  This is when I

In all my years as a hospital chaplain, the present Covid-19 pandemic is unique.  Coping with the reality of the present virus and its effects on families, friends, coworkers, and society has been difficult and confusing.  This kind of pervasive health crisis has not been experienced since the Flu epidemic after the First World War. Many of us have suffered the death of a loved one or our own sickness. Grief and shock has often led to an earthquake

Our nation just remembered one of our most painful events—the bombing of the World Trade Center on September 11.  One of the memories that is most present to me from that day is how so many people showed up at church.  Spontaneously, people were moved to come and pray. Our nation is in the midst of another painful time.  The Covid pandemic is creating chaos in our daily lives, causing folks to pass away, and filling our nation with

I suspect there are probably more ways God is working in my life that I do not see than I do see.  Yet for now, I will reflect on how I experienced the Divine working in my life just recently. Toward the end of May we left for Sisters, Oregon to officiate the wedding of our son, Scott.  We were blessed to safely travel through Central California, staying in Patterson and next heading for Crater Lake National Park in

Being thankful is an early connection I made with prayer from a very young age. When I was a kid, my dad would tuck us in at night and lead us in bedtime prayers. I rarely added to his prayer because I didn’t know what to say. Dad would try to prompt me, asking if I had anything I was thankful for. I remember one time; I thanked God for my dog Freckles, who was my best friend at

We all Need a Miracle Now and Then… People pray for miracles every day. They need some sign to let them know that God has not forgotten them. Some might pray for the miracle of getting good test results back from the doctor.  As a parent, you pray that your children are safe and make good decisions in their lives. Some pray for the miracle of finding a job or mending a broken relationship. Still others might pray for

When you hear the word "reflection" what comes to your mind? My mind goes to the vision I get standing in front of a full-length mirror, with not always the best expected and desired results. And then we realize that is as good as it gets and there may not be anything that can be done to improve the vision. To me, it is such a blessing to know, that when I stand in front of Christ, to check

One of the many blessings we have  here at the Praise and Worship Center is our music and our musicians. In many ways our pastors have a competition on Sunday mornings.  I do have to admit I frequently get lost in the talent of the musicians, the quality of the sound of their voices, and the seeming ease of their talent. It is easy to not  listen to the words. Several Sundays ago, as I was listening to the music,

Women's Ministry is Important to Me As I look back on my life I can see the things that influenced me in my Christian life, the different parts of making me who I am. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) says:  “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,  plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Wow, what a verse to lean on! I am sure when I

Having a Servant’s Heart In April, at the Brothers’ Ministry, Father Dale talked about service and having a servant’s heart.  This topic has been on my mind and it is my hope that in sharing my thoughts, I will provide a personal reflection that moves a few hearts. Several years ago, at the beginning of our Deacon training, Father Dale started by saying there were three things he wanted us to know about being a Deacon.  The first was Service,

As I reflect on what to write, there is so much that comes to mind; and I’m finding it difficult to know where to start. So here goes. The Praise and Worship Center (PWC) entered my life when I was going through some ambivalence about the Catholic Church. I hadn’t been to Mass in over a year and was feeling very unsettled. I was a cradle Catholic and had followed the dogma to the best of my ability all of

Retirement! I am retired! After 42 years in my profession, I have turned in my computer and ID badge.  This gives me a moment for pause; our worldly culture constantly reminds us that we are what we ‘do’, now what?  My work life, that heavily defined what I was in my full-time working years, is gone.  That was only one part of my life.  God’s not done with me yet! For many years I have had Colossians 3:23-24 NIV

Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with the light.   Matthew 6:22 MSGJust a few weeks ago, Peter and I were blessed by a driving vacation on the backroads of Eastern Oregon. We were able to spend some time at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge where we spent several hours basking in the beauty, tenderness and sweet songs of birds such as we have rarely seen

My dad raised my brother, sister, and me, to be patriotic.   When the Star-Spangled Banner was played before a football game my dad would stand with his hand over his heart and we were expected to do the same.  Patriotism was an everyday thing and for my dad, the Marine, he would not have it any other way. I do know, however, that many people do not see the country the same way or with the same respect my

Create a clean heart for me, God; put a new, faithful spirit deep inside me! Return the joy of your salvation to me and sustain me with a willing spirit. (Psalm 51:10,12) A few years ago, Father Dale led a Wednesday night teaching on the Book of Psalms. Before the end of the night, he invited us to write our own poem, a Psalm, from our heart to God. It was a meaningful exercise to focus our thoughts and

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.     John 15.4 (ESV) This is one of my most valuable verses in the Bible. It has guided me many times when I long for God’s Presence in my life. It’s a constant reminder that Jesus longs for our life to be lived beyond mere believing in Christ into a relationship of

I can remember receiving a phone call from our adoption case manager with the news that we were going to be able to adopt our very first child.  Her exact words, “Are you ready to be a Dad?”.  I could never have imagined that our lives were going to be changed forever.   Being a father is one of the greatest joys and blessings of my life.  Thank God, my children have an amazing Mom who helps me in this

“The Spirit Himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God” (Romans. 8:16)This little verse says so much about who we are in Christ Jesus. It was on my ordination banner; it is no surprise, that it comes to mind for me, this time of year. The person of the Holy Spirit is an experience. What happened in the Upper Room was not the product of summoning the Holy Spirit’s presence. It is not magic. It

Memorial Day:  A Time to Remember I have been blessed with the honor of visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.  I remember being moved to tears, even as a child, when we watched the changing of the guard and heard TAPS being played in the distance.  When you look around on that sacred ground, you see the tombs of our fallen brothers and sisters that gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation’s freedom.  We

The first thing I do every morning when I awake is say “Good morning, Jesus”. I put on my glasses and head to my breakfast room where I have a daily conversation with Our Lord, thanking Him for all the blessings He has bestowed upon me all my life. I had the best parents anyone could hope for. They taught me about love, family values, acceptance of others, encouragement, support, and the importance of a good education. As a

I heard a story years ago about a holy man in India who announced that he was traveling to the United States. A colleague warned him, "Be careful! The pace of life there might get you!" If the fast times in America can suck in a swami, I wondered what chance have I got? I began to notice how when I wake up in the morning my brain gets busy right away. "What if this?" it wonders. "What if that?