I took high school German language classes for two years. My parents required their children to take a high school foreign language because most universities required it for admission. I was fascinated by Germany since my parents were stationed there while my father served in the Air Force. They …
Anxiety
During my early high school years, President Nixon resigned, and Vice-President Gerald Ford took his place. This was the first time an unelected vice-president assumed the presidency. It was a sad moment for our nation after enduring the Watergate scandal — the lies, cover-ups, and corruption within …
Crisis of Disconnection
I was living in south Texas when I graduated from high school in the late spring of 1976. In August, my father and I loaded the family station wagon and drove north to Golden, Colorado. I had visited the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) the previous summer and upon being admitted, I decided to enroll. …
Balancing Love
My wife and I recently drove north and spent the weekend with her niece, husband, and their beautiful 17-month-old girl. Just prior to their baby being born, they bought their first home in a lovely neighborhood and refurbished it. Both have full-time careers and work hard at juggling their …
Earnings
Most of my fellow Americans do not know this, but their average salaries are far higher than Europeans when comparing like-for-like jobs. I discovered this just before I moved to the UK in 1994. My supervisor at that time, who previously lived in the UK as an ex-pat, took me aside and told me to …
DIY Religion
I recently had a phone call with friend. She called to gain some knowledge about a property located near her. We discussed the pros and cons of the potential purchase. We had met for coffee last year to discuss Christianity. She had questions and was seeking answers. We were raised in Christian …
Why Theology?
One of my goals while attending seminary was to study theology, a word derived from the Greek word theologia (theos means ‘God’ and logos means ‘speech’). Theology is a language or discourse about God. It is faith seeking understanding. Theology has a unique vocabulary which must be understood …
Working Longer
80-points. These were joyful, magical words when I worked. “Do you have your 80-points?” “How many years until you get your 80-points?” Retirement with full benefits was reached at 80-points: the sum of your age and the years of employment. Health benefits and a defined benefit pension were secured …
Embracing Time Limits (Part III)
I traveled to Israel recently with a joint Jewish-Christian group composed of seminary students, pastors, church and synagogue members, and their families. One of my most memorable moments was celebrating Sabbath led by our Rabbi. As the sun was setting on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, we recited …
Embracing Time Limits (Part II)
In early 1991, I transferred to Shell Trading’s Houston office as the northeast gasoline trader. I noticed that many of the energy traders were carrying a small daily planner. Each page contained the same daily layout: a to-do list, appointment calendar, and note taking area. The notebook was filled …