Just the other day, my class was performing skits of various scenes in the life of David before becoming king of Israel (and the king of Israel’s brief Golden Age). As I was sharing a few personal thoughts to the end of one performance, I suddenly realized just how closely it paralleled the storyContinue reading “Macbeth, the anti-David”
Till We Have Faces: My Blog’s New Look
About a year and a half ago I began this blog primarily as a literary resource for students when I was teaching in El Salvador. I posted on the blog, but it was usually in a literary or educational capacity: a creative attempt to engage with my students. When I moved back to theContinue reading “Till We Have Faces: My Blog’s New Look”
Reflecting on Another Mass Shooting
4% of the town population was obliterated. Eight members of a single family were killed. The gunman’s grandmother-in-law could not avoid the destruction. Even the pastor’s daughter died yesterday. It was denounced as an act of evil. It was evil. I don’t know much about the shooter. No one does yet. It’s been barely 24 hoursContinue reading “Reflecting on Another Mass Shooting”
November 5th
Bare trees with branches, tentacle-like, grasp. Exposed bark. Leaves cling to a few oaks, green tinged with yellow, orange, brown. There is a difference between being alone and being lonely. God has given us nature to surround us and wrap us like a garment, and I have had only a few moments of electrifying clarityContinue reading “November 5th”
6 Reasons to Read Macbeth
Macbeth is definitely my favorite Shakespeare play…so far (I am more widely read in Shakespeare than the average person, but I am still woefully ignorant of the entire Shakespeare canon). However, spending any time at all among Shakespeare’s works quickly enlightens us as to why the Elizabethan playwright is so profoundly famous and global: his fantasticalContinue reading “6 Reasons to Read Macbeth”
8 Books about Faith and Art
For many years (decades, centuries), there has been debate as to what should be the relationship between art and religion. From a Christian perspective, should art have any prominent role in the church? What do we do about art made by those who believe differently than us? This might be visual art, literary art,Continue reading “8 Books about Faith and Art”
5 Reasons NOT to Travel
Not many blogs today are going to discourage any readers from traveling, but, though I believe in the power and importance of cross-cultural experiences and travel, sometimes we need to check our motives. This post is a follow-up to my last, “5 Reasons to Travel” (sorry I didn’t post this a week later like I originally said…firstContinue reading “5 Reasons NOT to Travel”
5 Reasons to Travel
[I will follow up next week on this post with “5 Reasons Not to Travel;” I figured I’d begin on a positive note.] It’s like everyone travels these days. There are a billion travel blogs; a billion travel agents or booking sites trying to offer some special deal on hotels, flights, or vacation; a billion exoticContinue reading “5 Reasons to Travel”
What to Read, Where to Go?
Need ideas? It’s the end of summer. Perhaps you’re back in the office daydreaming about next summer’s dream vacation rather than the work in front of you. You have Travelocity or Travelzoo bookmarked in your browser. You’re skimming travel photos, imagining the perfect adventure. You have the most epic travel playlist on Spotify. You’ve beenContinue reading “What to Read, Where to Go?”
Guatemala and Big (Personal) News
Last spring, during Semana Santa, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Antigua, Guatemala… …with my fiancee, Elena! Yes, it has been difficult for me to post as frequently as I’d like because of some crazy (awesome) life events including proposing to my amazing fiancee and transitioning back to the United States to continue teachingContinue reading “Guatemala and Big (Personal) News”
a great, real place 