"One reason alcohol is addictive is that it doesn't quite work. It's difficult to get enough of something that almost works. It temporarily gave some relief so I chased it again and again, and it made me feel worse. For me alcohol had become a mirage. It wasn't the solution but I hoped it was […]Read Post ›
Early in my recovery I spent many hours studying the history of Alcoholics Anonymous and the 12-Steps. Bill Wilson referred to Reverend Samuel Shoemaker as a wellspring of the principles and attitudes that came to full flower in A.A.’s Twelve Steps. Samuel was also a founder of the Oxford Group a forerunner of AA. But Samuel Shoemaker’s true calling […]Read Post ›
We had some free time on the 4th of July and a free rental so we picked up The Zookeeper’s Wife. While I knew the story behind the movie, I expected a few more scenes like the one above which was the opening scene. There were not too many more. In fact, a good number of […]Read Post ›
We are just coming to the end of a two-week vacation. This is not the best of times for me. As I get older I appreciate more the time off with which I am blessed. Going back to my “regular” life gets more difficult each year. Sometimes I have a tendency to forget the blessings […]Read Post ›
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to talk to my son’s confirmation class about alcohol and drug abuse. A few seventh graders were also there. In a previous position I held, I gave presentations like this on a fairly regular basis. But it had been a while and I wondered, now more than a few 24 hours down the […]Read Post ›
I am not anywhere near an expert on plants. But our greenhouse window stays green. Some people accuse me of having a green thumb, but in reality, my thumbs have very little with those plants in the window. Yes, there is usually a lot of green. But I do not follow all the directions you […]Read Post ›
So, another Holy Week arrives. Palm Sunday begins with shouts of praise for Jesus. A few days later, there are sounds of suffering and pain. Now I know how this all turns out on Easter, but I can still feel myself being tugged down a little. It’s like I have a weight on my back. Everyday activities take a little […]Read Post ›
A few weeks ago I was driving to work listening to the radio when I heard the words of a song that drew my interest. The basic message was remembering what it was like to be a child. The feeling that life at that time was one of an uncluttered existence. The attitude was one of […]Read Post ›
“I really don’t have faith in anything. Sure I believe things are true, but only if it makes sense to me. And if they can be proven to me. All this heaven and hell stuff cannot be proven so do not waste your time in talking about it. “ A good number of years ago […]Read Post ›
The longer I am around this earth, the more often I shake my head at how my mind works. The idea for this blog came to me while thinking about our schedule for this past Sunday and an article I saw regarding how improvised explosive devices, IEDs, have taken the place of conventional land mines in […]Read Post ›
Just Following Him 