My “sabbatical” last semester has helped me set boundaries this semester and, God willing, into the future. I came to realize that my job is not my life. And since it is not my life, it does not hold a claim on every waking hour.  When the school day ends at 3:00 pm, I don’t think, “I’m glad that day is over.” Because the day is not over. Instead, I think, “What am I going to do with the second half of my day?” And it is the second half of the day that gives me the most satisfaction: connections…

I looked more closely at the research I cited here a couple of days ago which claimed, in essence, that gossip is good.  In a curious move, the authors broaden the definition of gossip far beyond “primarily negative evaluative commentary about absent individuals” and “baseless trash talk” to include “chit-chat”, “idle talk”, and “self-disclosure” among other things.  So, talking about yourself is part of this study’s definition of gossip. I fail to understand the reasoning behind redefining the term “gossip”, studying it, and then declaring this new definition to be a social good.   I am pretty certain that the Bible…

Studyfinds.org compiles information about the latest scientific studies. Three days ago the site shared information about a Dartmouth College study on the dynamics of gossip published in Current Biology.  The article, by Chris Melore, is entitled “Spread the word! Gossip can actually be good for you, Dartmouth researchers say”.  The authors behind the study call gossip “rich, multifaceted communication”. According to Melore:  Study authors find “baseless trash talk” is not the sole purpose of gossip. It can also create a “shared reality” where friends and colleagues build social bonds, exchange information, and reach agreements on socially acceptable behavior. So the…

Because Melissa was out of town for a couple of days at a conference for work, I decided a couple of nights ago just to go to bed early one evening.  Early is 9:30 for me. My alarm goes off at 5:00, but often I wake up before then. That next morning I woke up feeling great. I’ve learned this before but need a reminder now and then: a nap after school is nowhere near as useful as just going to bed an hour earlier and getting a full night of sleep.  Then, because I was feeling really good for…

Ephesians 4:29 – “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Every once in a while I am reminded of the incredible power of words for building others up. This afternoon I was walking alongside one of my 8th grade students in the hallway and she took the opportunity to say this: “Do you think you would ever be interested in teaching another class? I don’t mean to put pressure on you or anything, but would you?”…

 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”  Matthew 10:16 I believe it was author and song-writer John Fischer who I heard once expounding on Matthew 10:16 as he spoke and performed at Asbury Seminary for a special event back in the late 90s while I was a student there. Anyway, it seems like something he would say. Even if I am uncertain of the speaker, I do clearly recall what was said: “Jesus told his followers to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.…

In my Bible time this morning I came across a passage that prompted a question in my mind that I want to pose to my Calvinist friends. It’s a question I have not ever seen addressed in any debate I have ever watched or read on the topic of Calvinism, but surely someone has an answer for it.  (I am assuming I just haven’t come across this yet.) For the record, the Calvinists that I know personally – my Calvinist brothers and sisters – tend to be among the most intelligent, Biblically literate, and godly people I have come across…

A few days ago I came across two tweets that seemed to be pointing to a similar and unpopular truth. The first one I can quote here verbatim: “When people imagine taking a courageous moral stand, they picture people praising and applauding them. But that’s not courageous. When you actually take a courageous stand, people will despise and traduce you.” Bo Winegard @EPoe187 on Twitter The second one was a pastor singing the praises of his wife on their anniversary. In effect, he complimented her on the fact that she had stuck with him even though when they first met…

Yesterday I mentioned a couple of pastors I had worked for in the past who (sadly) acted in rather despicable ways. Fortunately, I was also blessed to work with some downright incredible pastors. These were godly men and women who taught me so much.  From early in my youth ministry career I noticed a peculiar thing: Even the very worst pastor has at least a small group of followers who think he is absolutely wonderful, and he can count on their undying support. And … Even the very best pastor has at least a small group of critics who think…