Finding Your Soul by David Anderson
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The Peace of Wild Children
On Sunday afternoon I sat on a park bench and watched my granddaughter on the swings. My son-in-law was pushing her, doing “underdogs.” I was worried about many things in this world, and yet something here was lightening my soul. Next to Novalie in the baby swing was a toddler being pushed by his father.…
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I’m Not The One
When it first came out in 1991, I watched “The Fisher King,” a modern version of the Arthurian legend. Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges) is a raunchy talk show host who inadvertently provokes a caller into a mass shooting at a Manhattan bar. He’s fired from his top job, turns to booze, and just about hits…
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Anxious About All The Chaos? Here’s Hope.
A week ago, someone sent me this cartoon. A few days later we had dinner with our neighbors, one of whom is a therapist. She sat down—gladly taking the Manhattan I offered—with a deep sigh. She had seen clients all day, and she was depleted. “People are just deeply anxious,” she said. “It’s fall, and…
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One True Call . . . And A Diamond Ring
On Sunday I was privileged to be back preaching at my former parish, Trinity Church in Solebury, PA. The gospel for the day was the story of “The Rich Young Ruler” who comes to Jesus seeking eternal life. You know this one. Jesus says, Go sell all your possessions, give the money to the poor,…
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Where Is Joy Born? You Might Be Surprised
Sometimes it seems that everyone we know is struggling. Right now, many people in my life are undergoing suffering, and I’m especially attuned to it because in the past year I’ve dealt with periods of frightful anxiety and then dips of depression. So now, when I am listening to other people’s pain, I am drawing…
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There’s No Bouncer At The Gate Of Heaven
I’m sitting in church on Sunday, listening to a familiar gospel. The disciples have caught someone casting out demons, and, like good schoolboys, they report to the teacher that they “forbade” the man “because he was not following us.” Jesus wants none of it. He tells the boys to lay off the poor guy, who…
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The Weapons of Love
I recently parked my car in New York and came back to find a leaflet jammed into my door handle. I looked down the street; every car had been hit. I saw a picture of the pope and figured it was just an overeager Catholic blanketing the neighborhood with tracts. Opening it, I found otherwise.…
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The Magnificent Defeat
Why do our past failures live on as such vivid memories? On Saturday I happened to see an interview with Alabama’s new coach, Kalen DeBoer. I knew that, after 17 years and six national championships, the legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban had retired, but I didn’t know who was unlucky enough to follow him. But…
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When The Unexpected Happens
“David, come—it’s something urgent!” I am at the woodshed, stacking logs in my wheelbarrow, when I hear Pam calling from the house. I am hurrying, but it’s a long way back. All the mind needs is a few seconds to go a thousand crazy places. The kitchen faucet has broken off and water is gushing…