Category Archives: Living My Life

Repent! No, not you.

Posted on January 31, 2015 by hessd

Let’s think about “repentance” a little bit. My thesis is going to be that it is a really good idea sometimes and a really bad idea sometimes. The Greek verb normally translated “repent” is metanoein, which can be narrowly translated … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Living My Life | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

My teammates are not offended

Posted on January 18, 2015 by hessd

I was taken, recently, with the premise of the movie, Surrogates. I liked the premise so much that I tried really hard to like the movie. I failed, but I still like the premise so I am going to make … Continue reading →

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Walking Gladly in the Dark

Posted on January 7, 2015 by hessd

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.” And he replied:“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand … Continue reading →

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Thanksgiving at, and for, Starbucks

Posted on November 27, 2014 by hessd

Tomorrow morning, Thanksgiving morning, Bette and I will go over to “our Starbucks” and meet friends who will have family obligations the rest of the day.  I am tempted to say that we will all have “other family obligations” that … Continue reading →

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In my Father’s house

Posted on November 26, 2014 by hessd

At my house, this is the year we study Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus.  Every Advent, we focus on one—only one—of the two narratives the Bible gives us about the birth of Jesus.  I’ve been doing this for … Continue reading →

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Is Forgiveness a Good Idea?

Posted on October 21, 2014 by hessd

I want to begin with as simple a phrasing as I can.  Things are going to get so messy that I want to have something to look back at, as I would look back at my own innocent youth if … Continue reading →

Posted in Living My Life, Political Psychology, Uncategorized, ways of knowing | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

What I’m Good At

Posted on October 14, 2014 by hessd

“There are two things I know to be true. There’s no difference between good flan and bad flan, and there is no war,” says CIA agent Charles Young (William H. Macy), in Barry Levinson’s mercilessly funny movie, Wag the Dog.  … Continue reading →

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“Commemorating” Vietnam, 50 years later

Posted on October 11, 2014 by hessd

How will we go about commemorating the 50th anniversary of a war from which we have not yet recovered.  I was thinking about the Vietnam War, but it has been 150 years since the American Civil War and there is … Continue reading →

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“The Hard White Light of Integrity”

Posted on September 7, 2014 by hessd

For about a month now, I have been basking in the stories that make up Simon Van Booy’s new book, The Illusion of Separateness.  The book isn’t really a fable with a point.  It is better than that in every … Continue reading →

Posted in Getting Old, Living My Life | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

A Whole New You

Posted on August 31, 2014 by hessd

There is always the chance that you are not going to believe what I am going to say today.  Or, if you are younger (nearly everyone is) than I am and more tech savvy (nearly everyone is), you might just … Continue reading →

Posted in Getting Old, Living My Life, Love and Marriage, Paying Attention | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments