Dearest Rachel – You might think that, by waking up with such a title for this morning’s letter, I’d be announcing some great theory of existence to you. A grand purpose for humanity or, on an individual basis, an explanation for what keeps each of us going, day after day. But no. I’d like toContinue reading “What Makes Us Tick”
Category Archives: Questions for God
Strange Fire on the Candle
Dearest Rachel – As with so many stories I try to relate to you about the happenings around me, I’d like to think this would amuse you. It’s always better to see the humor in the misadventures of life than to be annoyed (or angered) by them; if nothing else, the latter doesn’t solve anything,Continue reading “Strange Fire on the Candle”
So Far From Normal
Dearest Rachel – It was a running joke where we went to college (and eventually, where you and I met); by dint of being located in Bloomington, Illinois, we were by definition “as close to Normal as you could get” without actually quite being there. Geographically (and thus technically) true, but we certainly had ourContinue reading “So Far From Normal”
Susan Amid the Wreckage
Dearest Rachel – Weekends are the ‘slow news days’ of my life; and while we need days like that on a regular basis, it does cut into anything that I might have to tell you about. There is the fact that five out of six of us managed to get together yesterday afternoon at aContinue reading “Susan Amid the Wreckage”
Cruel Silence
Dearest Rachel – There are times when I imagine you, like my paternal grandfather before you (who you never met, although I think you met my grandmother), either filling in for Saint Peter or standing alongside him at his post, welcoming the new arrivals as they appear at the gates each constructed of individual pearls.Continue reading “Cruel Silence”
花見 – Hanami at Home
Dearest Rachel – Maybe I never noticed it because it was right there in front of us the whole time (and we had to deal with the blossoms once they fell and stuck to our respective cars, which is something of a nuisance); maybe it’s just that more obvious to me after two straight yearsContinue reading “花見 – Hanami at Home”
Serving in the Shadows
Dearest Rachel – Last weekend, when we were moving most of Sylvia’s stuff out of her home so she can live with Ellen (and be watched over by Jeanette when she can stop over), we moved a lot of stuff into the U-Haul. I could safely assume that the sisters packed up what they consideredContinue reading “Serving in the Shadows”
The Son in the Vineyard
Dearest Rachel – So last night was an assembly for what might be considered the leaders of the church to present their pledges for the upcoming… well, it’s not so much a capital campaign like we’ve held in the past for certain specific projects as it is a commitment for future giving going forward. There’sContinue reading “The Son in the Vineyard”
Are Things Not Satisfactory?
Dearest Rachel – There’s an old joke about a child who, for the first few years of his life, appeared to be completely mute, much to the consternation of his parents. They took him to doctors and specialists, who couldn’t find anything wrong with his vocal cords or his neural connections. Eventually, they gave upContinue reading “Are Things Not Satisfactory?”
Won’t Be’s in Heaven
Dearest Rachel – We’ve been taught since time immemorial that everything that exists as part of our ecosystem does so for a reason. Call it God’s plan or the great circle of life as you will, but supposedly, every organism (or family of organisms) serves a purpose within the natural world, even if we don’tContinue reading “Won’t Be’s in Heaven”
Return on Investment
Dearest Rachel – When I was in junior high, I attended a Lutheran school, having been withdrawn from the local public school after a third-grade teacher got sick and tired of me being the precocious “well, ackshully…” kid in her class and told my parents I needed to have my head examined. They actually didContinue reading “Return on Investment”
A Hundred Lies and the Truth
Dearest Rachel – You probably remember how, after Sunday services, over dinner either between the three of us or (more often, since that used to be how we all got together every week) the entire extended family, we would discuss what had been spoken about in the sermon just a little while before. It wasn’tContinue reading “A Hundred Lies and the Truth”
The Right to Gatekeep
·God is honored for what he keeps secret [L It is the glory of God to hide a matter/things; Deut. 29:29].·Kings are honored for what they can discover [L It is the glory of kings to examine them]. Proverbs 25:2, Expanded Bible First Pepperpot: How does Doctor bloody Bernofsky know which zoo it came from?Second Pepperpot: HeContinue reading “The Right to Gatekeep”
The Rules of Recab
Dearest Rachel – There’s an obscure story in the middle of the book of Jeremiah, in chapter 35, where the prophet is instructed to invite members of a certain family, descendants of a man named Recab, to eat with him at the Temple. Now, it so happens that this family had a number of traditions,Continue reading “The Rules of Recab”
Growing the Stone
Dearest Rachel – It’s not the most well-known of Bible stories, but I’m sure that you remember Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the great statue made of many materials in the second chapter of the book of Daniel; with the head of gold, chest of silver, midsection of bronze, legs of iron, and the original “feet ofContinue reading “Growing the Stone”
Singing Through Clenched Teeth
Dearest Rachel – With the multi-front war going on in the Middle East, it was determined the other Sunday to make the weekly communal moment of prayer about the situation. The thing is, given the fog of war, it’s hard to know what, exactly, to ask God for; aside from the question of the goodContinue reading “Singing Through Clenched Teeth”
To Live For a Lie
Dearest Rachel – As with yesterday, a lot of what I have to say has to do with a song that entered my head and knocked about for a bit while I question its whole premise. This time, at least, it hasn’t been out of some urgent need to quell the silence within and aroundContinue reading “To Live For a Lie”
Deadman’s Switch
Dearest Rachel – Another day, another letter that I’m compelled to write to you that I can’t publish. There are so many things that I want to tell you about that I don’t feel comfortable sharing with the world at large; not yet, and likely not ever. The fact of the matter remains that, whileContinue reading “Deadman’s Switch”
The Curse
Dearest Rachel – This may seem strange to bring up so many days later, but it’s not as if thoughts are necessarily time-sensitive – they occur to me when they occur to me – so I’m going to talk about this one now, if that’s okay with you. It’s not as if much happened lastContinue reading “The Curse”
For the Rough Men
Dearest Rachel – Some days – rather a lot of days, come to think of it – I have difficulty coming up with something to write you about, apart from the events of the day, which, unless I’m doing something extraordinary (such as during the last three months), aren’t generally the sort of things proverbiallyContinue reading “For the Rough Men”
Don’t Make Him Tap the Sign
Dearest Rachel – It’s said that there are no such things as coincidences; only moments in which God decides, for whatever reason, not to sign His name to events. We’ve had a few of them in our time, such as that one major windfall shortly after catching up on our pledges to a certain missionaryContinue reading “Don’t Make Him Tap the Sign”
from Rachel: Broken Pottery
Based on our previous lesson, how can God’s Word become our glorious liberation? [by] “obeying it” Complete the following sentences with the first four characteristics.1. A rebellious child of God doesn’t “act like a child of God.”2. A rebellious child of God isn’t willing to “listen to the Lord’s instruction.”3. A rebellious child of GodContinue reading “from Rachel: Broken Pottery”
In Praise of Impurity
Dearest Rachel – You’re probably looking at that title, and bracing yourself for what is commonly referred to here on the interwebs as “a hot take.” There’s likely to be a heavy dose of self-justification and attempts to explain my position on this matter, especially considering that the words as put up there seem, onContinue reading “In Praise of Impurity”
What it Means to be Home
Dearest Rachel – I’ve told you before about how I’ve been trying to expand the assortment of music I’m exposed to, if for no other reason than that to dilute the frequency I have to deal with songs that we would have considered ‘ours,’ whether or not they were part of our mix tape collectionContinue reading “What it Means to be Home”
The Second Side of Solomon
Dearest Rachel – I wonder if, after my letter from just the other day touching on the subject, my change in attitude is likely to give you a touch of whiplash. At the same time, for all your own emotional stability in general, you were acquainted with the caprice of mood from time to time,Continue reading “The Second Side of Solomon”
Snogging in Church
Dearest Rachel – I mentioned recently that we’re in the middle of a series on the Beatitudes at church. This past weekend’s topic was on hungering and thirsting for righteousness. It was pointed out that, just as in the real, physical world, there is healthy food, and there is junk food that we find ourselvesContinue reading “Snogging in Church”
Skin for Skin
Dearest Rachel – You probably remember that I try to read a few Bible chapters each day – one from Proverbs (corresponding to the day of the month for easy reference, which allows me to skip yours as often as not), one Psalm (which is a little harder to keep track of), and three othersContinue reading “Skin for Skin”
Scamming God Himself
Dearest Rachel – Things have been rather quiet on the dating front these days; it’s been over a month since Grace and I went to church together, and while I’ve had a couple of conversations with others since then, nothing has really come of any of it. Obviously, this isn’t an ideal situation – I’mContinue reading “Scamming God Himself”
“Let’s Just Get This Over With”
Dearest Rachel – It probably wasn’t the best idea for me to totter off to bed by nine-thirty, but by the time Logan realized we were home from having dinner at the folks’ and joined Daniel to watch anime with him, I was barely able to keep my eyes open. If it weren’t for theContinue reading ““Let’s Just Get This Over With””
Heat
Dearest Rachel – Given its immense breadth – from the depths of absolute zero, where motion stills, even down to the subatomic level, to the eight- and nine-figure temperatures of stellar cores – it’s amazing to think about how little of the range of temperature is comfortable for us humans, or even survivable. With properContinue reading “Heat”
The Desire of Eve
Then God said to the woman, “I will ·cause you to… greatly desire [C the word implies a desire to control] your husband, but he will rule over you.” Genesis 3:16a, c, Expanded Bible Dearest Rachel – I hardly have to tell you that this is going to be (as it always has been) a touchy subject; peopleContinue reading “The Desire of Eve”
Tinted Greys
Dearest Rachel – Much as I like to have it taken care of before I start in on the ‘real work’ of my day, unless I’ve had a dream I simply must tell you about before I forget it, writing you is rarely my first task of the day. And no, ‘tasks’ like opening myContinue reading “Tinted Greys”
from Rachel: The Obstacle of Prayerlessness
Begin with the following words, and… complete the two verses accordingly. “Do not be calm about anything, but in everything… “…feel stress and anxiety, with fear, and hold it all inside yourself. And the nauseous, nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach will continue and grow until you feel like you might throw up.”Continue reading “from Rachel: The Obstacle of Prayerlessness”
from Rachel: The Obstacle of Idolatry
List everything Isaiah 55:1-9 teaches us about God. – “God satisfies spiritual hunger and thirst. – “God gives generously and freely. – “He makes everlasting covenants. – “He puts leaders in power. – “He ordains futures. – “He endows with splendor. – “He is available and eager to hear from us. – “He calls theContinue reading “from Rachel: The Obstacle of Idolatry”
Recognizing the Real Thing
Dearest Rachel – So yesterday being Father’s Day, there’s a bit of a tradition at church to give out little presents to the honorees. With the moms last month, it was these little bundt cakes; for us dads, there were ice cold bottles of Mexican Coca-Cola. Personally, I thought it was more appropriate when theyContinue reading “Recognizing the Real Thing”
Staying Put… or Not
Dearest Rachel – Eight a.m., and we’re eating breakfast overlooking the enormous (compared to most of our other stops, including Tokyo; the roof is even with the level of the upper-deck cafe) station at the Kobe harbor. We’re going to be here until five in the evening tomorrow. Well, ‘we’ as in the passengers onContinue reading “Staying Put… or Not”
The Malevolence of God
Dearest Rachel – It would be understandable for you to think that my biggest issue with God would be the fact that He took you from me. After all, your absence has left a hole in my life (and Daniel’s, and really, everyone you ever touched, to a certain extent) that has yet to beContinue reading “The Malevolence of God”
Sacred Secrets?
Dearest Rachel – Far be it from me to tell the all-knowing God His own business; He obviously know why He chooses to do as He does, and that His choices are correct. But since He hasn’t let me in on the ‘why’ in most cases, I can’t help but wonder from time to timeContinue reading “Sacred Secrets?”
And [We] Still Go On
They buried My body, and they thought I’d goneBut I am the Dance, and I still go on. “Lord of the Dance,” by Sydney Carter (1963) Dearest Rachel – So, apropos of absolutely nothing, this is what I woke up to this morning. No dreams (that I can remember), no philosophical musings. Just this song,Continue reading “And [We] Still Go On”
A Junkie’s Confession
Dearest Rachel – It’s hard to realize that I’ve written twelve hundred letters to you since your departure. Oh, don’t worry, it’s not like I’ve been counting as I’ve been sending them off; the website does that for me. But I’m sure that over all those letters, I’ve repeated myself quite a bit, and you’llContinue reading “A Junkie’s Confession”
The Illusion of Choice
Dearest Rachel – I’m not entirely sure how it is that my mind found itself pondering this concept throughout the course of the last night. Quite possibly, it was due to the video I saw that was reviewing Kurt Vonnegut’s book Slaughterhouse Five. I had read the book (and watched the film, for that matter)Continue reading “The Illusion of Choice”
from Rachel: My Favorite Things
Please fill in the blank with the appropriate response. Favorite colors: “purple, then yellow, then green” Favorite type of music: “40’s” Favorite travel destinations: “Middle Bass Island, Ohio; foreign lands – Japan, Italy, Greece” Favorite foods: “BLTs, sweet & sour, crab in alfredo sauce” Favorite desserts: “chocolate anything, cheesecake” Favorite influential people: “C. S. Lewis,Continue reading “from Rachel: My Favorite Things”
Plus Ultra
Dearest Rachel – No, honey, this letter has nothing to do with My Hero Academia, despite that anime making a catchphrase out of this Latin motto. I don’t know enough about the series to comment upon it; I may have been the first otaku in the family, but I know better than to get involvedContinue reading “Plus Ultra”
Return to Israel
Dearest Rachel – After visiting Bethlehem and the shepherd’s caves, we head back into Israel proper. While we never needed our passports (because isn’t it still Israel? I mean, there is no separate country of Palestine at the moment), it has all the feel of a border crossing otherwise. As we arrive at Nebe Samuel,Continue reading “Return to Israel”
This You Cannot Make Me Do
Dearest Rachel – The climax of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is the moment when Scrooge brushes the snow away from the tombstone of the ‘unknown’ man he had seen lying dead earlier in his travels with the Spirit of Christmas Future. It’s the turning point in which he realizes how worthless his life hasContinue reading “This You Cannot Make Me Do”
Our Dinner With Omer
Dearest Rachel – Omer’s home overlooks the cliffs of Gadara (the site, as I always say, of the original deviled ham), and the city of Susita, on the northern half of the Sea of Galilee. Basically, to hear Omer tell it, he can see where half the events of the New Testament took place fromContinue reading “Our Dinner With Omer”
One’s Soul For One’s Country
Dearest Rachel – When one thinks of things one would be willing to sacrifice one’s life for, thoughts tend to run toward the things one loves. If there is to be anything worth dying for, it would be (ironically) the things that make life worth living. Possessions rarely fall into that category, although some thingsContinue reading “One’s Soul For One’s Country”
The Value of Sacrifice
Dearest Rachel – It may have been last night’s game of Civilization between Kevin and myself, which, upon being joined on the line by Erin, I found myself explaining my mild fascination about history, and the great men (and women) throughout it that helped to sculpt the world into the shape it is in, forContinue reading “The Value of Sacrifice”
Spoiled
Dearest Rachel – For all the improvements to the house over the past few months, you would think I would be satisfied with everything, now that the dust has settled. But not necessarily; after getting myself dressed, and heading to the dining room to get myself a bowl of cereal to start the day with,Continue reading “Spoiled”
What Lamech Learned from Great-Grandpappy
Dearest Rachel – This letter, and the one preceding it, have got to seem to be a little strange to you, I’m sure. What are these about? Did something happen in my life that I’m trying to allude to in the most oblique of terms, lest I upset someone with murderous intent on me (orContinue reading “What Lamech Learned from Great-Grandpappy”
If You Seek A Devil…
…you’ll surely find one. Dearest Rachel – This isn’t the sort of letter I really enjoy writing, but it’s a frustrating situation I feel I have to share with you. You’ve heard me tell you plenty about Daniel, and the prophets and pundits he prefers to listen to over me or anyone else in hisContinue reading “If You Seek A Devil…”
Cultivating Karma
Dearest Rachel – There wasn’t much to remember about last night’s first dream, only a news item. Still, it was sufficient to take into consideration, and perhaps turn into an essay of sorts. It would seem that this fellow, whose name I can’t remember, and may never have been dropped (since it didn’t really matterContinue reading “Cultivating Karma”
The Way of the Wayward Son
You know the rules. Driver picks the music; shotgun shuts his cakehole. Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) to his brother Sam (Jared Padalecki), as they begin their adventure, in Supernatural Dearest Rachel – I never got into the series; it was something you would watch as you were doing your chores or whatever it was youContinue reading “The Way of the Wayward Son”
The Lifeline to ‘One’
Dearest Rachel – Along with Nightelf, whose tales of balancing personal life amid the chaos of being a professional academic, she was my inspiration for putting together this collection of letters to you for in the first place. She has a knack for taking mundane vignettes of her life, and making them amusing in aContinue reading “The Lifeline to ‘One’”
Take Him Out of the Ba’al Game
Dearest Rachel – Sometimes, I don’t know what to do or think about Daniel. Some of the views he listens to and believes seem so ‘out there’ that I wonder where they come from. I realize just about any kind of crazy idea can be found out there on the internet, but how is itContinue reading “Take Him Out of the Ba’al Game”
No Footprints
Dearest Rachel – It seems that I should write you about today’s (or rather, this weekend’s, since I get to listen to it three times over) sermon, because it hits fairly close to home, especially for the two of us. Not that it isn’t common to all mankind, but given where you are, there’s aContinue reading “No Footprints”
What Can I Do?
Dearest Rachel – So, last night we wrapped up Colossians in our Bible study. Joel had everybody go over what each of us thought was the most individually significant part of the last four lessons. For my part, what struck me was the last section of the third chapter, where Paul talks about various responsibilitiesContinue reading “What Can I Do?”
Little Nightmares
Dearest Rachel – So, last night’s study had us wrapping up the book of Philippians; you know the passage, the one about not being anxious, but rejoicing in every situation. I’ve always had difficulty with that, simply because I can’t keep from thinking of joy as an emotion, as opposed to an action (yes, IContinue reading “Little Nightmares”
Matin-tide Prayer
Father God – I know You heard my thoughts while I stood in the shower this morning. I wonder what Your thoughts were in return; were they along the lines of “well, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?” or “where have you been, My son?” as if you didn’t know. Time was, I used toContinue reading “Matin-tide Prayer”
Itching Ears
Because the time will come when people will not ·listen to [put up with; endure] the ·true [sound; healthy] teaching but will ·find many more [gather around themselves; accumulate] teachers who ·please them [meet their needs/desires] by saying the things ·they want to hear [their ears itch for]. 2 Timothy 4:3, Expanded Bible Dearest RachelContinue reading “Itching Ears”
The ‘All Right’ Lie
Hush… It’s going to be all right Dearest Rachel – It’s a lie that we tell our children. In the most extreme case at present, a Ukranian father has to tell them as he bundles them off with their mother; they are to head for the border and relative safety, while he must stay behindContinue reading “The ‘All Right’ Lie”
The Bitter Taste of Flavor-Aid
Dearest Rachel – I mentioned that the story of my conversion is ridiculously unremarkable; in comparison, it seems like almost everyone I know at church has a turnaround moment in their life that is leagues more dramatic than mine. Even you, while brought up in the church so as to have a faith-based anchor inContinue reading “The Bitter Taste of Flavor-Aid”
Aniki no Yuutsu
Dearest Rachel – So, yesterday morning, as part of the Sunday service, our worship pastor, Jansen, was ordained. It’s something of a requirement for pastoral staff and elders (as you well know, since I went through the same theological training in those last few years before your accident, although I wasn’t required to write aContinue reading “Aniki no Yuutsu”
Followers, Fans and Flings
Dearest Rachel – The message at church this weekend centered around the sixth chapter of John. The basic gist of it was about how Jesus was showing the crowds just how narrow the path toward salvation could be, and questioning whether they were willing to take it. Most weren’t. In fact, the mass departure gotContinue reading “Followers, Fans and Flings”
A Path Worth Following
Dearest Rachel – Consider this something of a post script to my last letter, because it had a number of questions that were left unanswered. Unfortunately, I don’t really think I last night’s event did much to address what ‘respect’ truly is, and why I would want it. Still, the pastoral team did mention thingsContinue reading “A Path Worth Following”
Getting A Jump On Notes
Dearest Rachel – There are times when I think I may have been part of a rollout test… but only in retrospect, of course. When I was in second grade (and an almost obnoxiously precocious kid), I would see my Dad heading off to serve as a leader in the church’s Awana club, and insistContinue reading “Getting A Jump On Notes”
Rich Fools
Dearest Rachel – I will always remember the story that you used to tell about your mom‘s father, who worked for the SEC in its early days. It was a fairly lucrative job as I understand it (working for the government often is), and most of his colleagues were both younger than him, and decidedlyContinue reading “Rich Fools”
Can We Say He Doesn’t?
Dearest Rachel – I know you expressed disgust for him when he was on trial, convicted and ultimately imprisoned; I don’t recall if you were around to see him released on a technicality (as I understand it, the prosecutor screwed up by bringing up accusations that were supposed to be off the table as partContinue reading “Can We Say He Doesn’t?”
A Prayer For Daniel
Father God – First of all, thank You for being willing and desirous for us to call You that. The idea that the Creator of the Universe is willing to consider us His children when we, as a rule, do little more than bring You embarrassment and regret that You even thought to create us,Continue reading “A Prayer For Daniel”
Moments of Perfection
Dearest Rachel – This letter is probably one of those that is going to sound like I’m going around the bend, and after more than 100 hours of confinement here, I suppose I’m entitled to being a little loopy. For what it’s worth, it all started with a dream, so you know it’s going toContinue reading “Moments of Perfection”
The Question of Elihu
Dearest Rachel – There are certain passages and characters in the Bible whose existence give me pause. I talked with you a few times when I was trying to put together scripts for a possible YouTube channel about the problems I always had with Manassah, who seemed to defy the wisdom of the Proverbs byContinue reading “The Question of Elihu”
Do You Miss Anyone?
Dearest Rachel – One of the reasons you were so concerned about your folks as they gradually moved into their twilight years was that – as far as you could see – their lives gave no indication of the salvation they supposedly had. Sure, they were in church every Sunday, and put their few bucksContinue reading “Do You Miss Anyone?”
Biden My Time
Dearest Rachel – I’m sure that you wouldn’t approve, I don’t feel like there’s anything I can do about it. Now that the house has been thoroughly cleaned out, there are so many more rooms Daniel and I can use. And use them we do; except it means that we’re rarely in the same roomContinue reading “Biden My Time”
Time-Released Time
Dearest Rachel – I think I remember your roommate (and eventual maid of honor) Elizabeth talking about how, when she was young, she would occasionally find herself scared sleepless pondering the concept of eternity. The idea of time going on, and on, and on forever without an end terrified her. What would you do withContinue reading “Time-Released Time”
How Much Will Be Carved Away?
Dearest Rachel – Occasionally, I will spot something or other left behind by Chompers that I have yet to give away. Kris took a number of things to give to her daughter (I think it was; it’s been well over a week since she was last by) to use with her own dog, but hisContinue reading “How Much Will Be Carved Away?”
Qualified to Suffer
Dearest Rachel – It seems like a very long time ago since I last felt this way, but there was a time when I thought life was good… too good. We were happy together, both as a couple and as a family. We had plans to enjoy this or that, and whatever problems we wereContinue reading “Qualified to Suffer”
Disc Golf
Dearest Rachel – It’s a little hard to keep up with these letters to you out here in the mountains, especially when we’re outside doing stuff all the time. It’s why I tried to prepare a few letters beforehand to go out to you while I’m out here. Yes, there’s Wi-Fi at the lodge, butContinue reading “Disc Golf”
The Point of the Tree
Dearest Rachel – I have a lot of questions for God. And this is despite the fact that I know that I have no more right to ask them that Job did. Actually, probably considerably less right, given that even God himself referred to him as ‘righteous,’ which most likely could not be applied toContinue reading “The Point of the Tree”
What Does This Say About Us?
A ·good [righteous] person can look forward to happiness,but ·an evil person can expect nothing [L the hope of an evil person will perish]. Proverbs 10:28, Expanded Bible Dearest Rachel – It wasn’t all that long ago that we were, in fact, looking forward to happiness together. So many of the things that cause most people to struggle inContinue reading “What Does This Say About Us?”
To What Purpose?
Dearest Rachel – It has been a while since I last identified myself as such, and probably even longer since someone else has, but the other day, I was told that I was “task-oriented.” Now, that’s not news to me; in my many struggles with my boss back in the day, I often brought upContinue reading “To What Purpose?”
Letters to Rachel 