I hate losing. I’m a competitor. And I win a lot. I’ve coached undefeated volleyball teams and when my family does game nights, their main goal is to keep me from winning. I’m not a […]
Tag: anger
The ugly side of grief
There’s no fun side to grief. There’s nothing about it that makes me break out in cheers. There’s a reason why we try to avoid it and, when we can’t do that, why we try […]
Living among Samaritans
Opening prayer Lord, I find myself unsettled by the people around me. I don’t like their politics. I don’t like their practices. Most of the time, I just put up with it. But sometimes, I […]
Psalm 109
A rendering of Psalm 109, a painfully angry prayer, asking God to take over the revenge boiling over within him.
Psalm 88
A rendering of Psalm 88, a desperate prayer that spirals into darkness because of a feeling that not only has God rejected, but God is the source of personal suffering.
Psalm 30
A rendering of Psalm 30, a song David wrote when he was healed from a deadly illness and later used to celebrate the original Hanukkah, when the defiled and restored temple was rededicated.
Bad leaders & deaf cobras
When Saddam Hussein was driven from power, the people of Iraq danced in the streets. They tore down his statues. They celebrated the end of his tyranny. Having grown up in a country with strong […]
Psalm 139
A rendering of Psalm 139, a prayer for when I’m so angry at the sins of others I can’t see what’s going on in my own heart and need the only one who truly sees me to show me what’s going on inside of me — so that he can lead me in the beautiful way.
The problem of perspective
Living behind my eyes and ears, I am stuck with seeing and hearing the world from my limited perspective. Sometimes, I’m able to add my perspective and help others see things more clearly. But too […]
Political angst & Psalm 58
Politicians have always been corrupt. Not all of them are, of course. But always, God’s people have struggled under the weight of evil leaders. Always, the presence of the powerful who use their power inappropriately […]
The importance of anger
Some baristas are sages, masters of coffee and poignant tattoos. A barista at a cafe I used to frequent had a tattoo with the words “the upside of anger” wildly emblazoned on his forearm. And […]
What do I do when forgiveness feels impossible?
I didn’t get much sleep last night. Memories of slander and of shunning and contempt aimed at someone I love had me wrestling with bitterness and anger. Feelings of hurt and anger are nothing new. […]
The case for pity
“Do not scorn pity that is the gift of a gentle heart” – J.R.R. Tolkien We live in a culture that wants nothing of pity (other than self-pity). We never want to give someone else […]
Being right, but acting badly
I hate it when I lose my temper and the moral high ground. I hate that part of me that blows it when I’m in the right and damages the truth in the process. I’ve […]
Guerrilla faith — a Christian spirituality for life in a post-Christian world
Losing is tough. I hate it. When George W. Bush won the White House, Democrats talked about moving north to Canada. And when Barack Obama replaced him, Republicans made similar grumblings. When Russell Wilson of the […]