It was the summer of 1970 when my father took me on a road trip along the East Coast. We flew to Miami, rented a car, and explored the sights as we drove more or less north. For me, just a kid at the time, this was an amazing trip.
But nothing was quite as amazing as that Fourth of July in Washington DC. A big show was planned for the National Mall, to be broadcast live on TV, hosted by Bob Hope with a star studded cast of celebrities.
A perfect place to celebrate our nation, right?
Well … …
A recent interaction with a church goer left me discouraged. The conversation with this person wasn’t negative or cynical. I mean no disrespect to the person if they read this post.
But it did leave me discouraged and saddened.
Not because I disagreed with the person. We had things to disagree about of course, but we had more things in agreement.
What saddened me, frustrated me, left me a bit cold, was this persons absolute commitment to a fixed theology. There was no room for other points of view. He wasn’t pushy about it, but it was clear that if …
Surgeon General’s Warning: This post contains entirely too much sarcasm and attitude. Proceed at your own risk.
If you’ve been to Costco lately you know Christmas is near. Nevermind Halloween, Thanksgiving, and whatever else in between … gift giving season is already here.
A lot of people ask, “Roy, you are wise, and creative, and thoughtful . . . what makes a great Christmas present?”
It’s exactly the kind of question a 60-something chubby bald white guy who grew up working in a junkyard is qualified to answer.
So here are my top ten Christmas gift ideas:
My blog went silent for a few weeks as the devotions were sent, so I’m overdue for a post. Thought you’d get a kick out of this story.
A friend sent this meme:
“I once got sent out of class at school for being too sarcastic. The teacher yelled at me, “What would your parents say if I called them?” I replied, “Hello?”
I laughed, and it reminded me of a childhood story.
I was about 10 years old and playing with my buddy Larry during recess. We were taking paper towels out of the dispenser, dampening them, folding them …
One of my first projects at Goble Properties was to build an industrial complex on a piece of land in San Jose. It was a weird shaped parcel, but a good location. The project was big enough to test me but small enough to get my arms around.
A curious thing happened when the buildings were framed. A huge wind storm came through and knocked everything over. Boards and planks were piled up like so much drift wood pushed ashore by rough seas. Nobody had ever seen anything like it, and the consequences set everything back by weeks. Not to …
The year is done, thank goodness. Not that it was all bad — some really wonderful things happened in 2023. Those were the highs. And then there were lows. It was a rollercoaster year.
One event of the year was my 65th birthday. Typically it’s the age a person moves into retirement. Not me. The form filling lady at Medicare kept asking me why I continued working, and when I answered, “Because I enjoy working,” she was truly flummoxed. I suppose I’d be flummoxed too if I filled out forms for Medicare all day.
But I did wonder, what would …
I’m tired of theology.
To be more specific, I’m tired of seeing theology wielded as a weapon against supposed “enemies,” the way an attorney might use court precedents against an opponent. When theology is nothing more than a logical position to be argued, then real people get hurt. When theology is used solely to judge and exclude others, then love—the primary action Christians should be known for—becomes an afterthought.
I’m fortunate to know a few world-class theologians, and to have been a student of a few more. They have offered me insights into the meaning of Scripture, yes, but more …
I recently attended a conference with a lot of young, driven, smart, faith-driven entrepreneurs. From time to time, someone in this group asks me how they can best make a difference in this world. They usually have a great job, but they don’t feel like they are really contributing to the world. In their minds, their faith isn’t being fully expressed through their work. At the core of their question is something more specific: they wonder if they should quit their jobs, move to a developing region of the world, and serve the poor.
I’ll be honest – sometimes I …