As we approach December it’s time for a reminder of my book 21 Candles: Stories for Christmas. Here’s one of those stories, which a friend liked so much that he read it to his family every Christmas Day for over three decades. Read on …
Baruch & the Burning Bush: Something Much Bigger
One morning this fall I sat outside attempting to pray, but found myself instead preoccupied by a practical problem.
The Pope, the Rabbi, and the Golden Phone
When the Pope invited the Chief Rabbi to Rome, the latter was impressed by the golden telephone on the pontiff’s desk.
He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands
Back in the 90’s an acquaintance of mine, whom I’ll call Robert, had a mental breakdown. Initially hospitalized, he was later moved to a group home where he spent three years.
Dreambums: A Parable
The following story was originally published in 1989 in my book The Furniture of Heaven & Other Parables. Reading it now over three decades later, it strikes me as more than a little prophetic. See what you think. (Also available as a video.)
Let Fiery Preachers and Prophets Arise!
A friend told me of being at an A.A. meeting where a young woman expressed thanks to God for delivering her from a terrible drug addiction.
Hearing God: Rumi and the Still, Small Voice
I’m a big fan of the poet Rumi. Recently in Toronto I visited the Aga Khan Museum to view a special exhibit celebrating Rumi. Before even entering the beautiful building, one sees a site-specific installation which employs a sentence from Rumi: “There is a voice that does not use words.”
Captivated by Cutlery: The Fascination of the Ordinary
This morning I enjoyed a few moments gazing into my cutlery drawer. I can’t remember ever doing this before. Cutlery is not something one looks at, particularly, it’s just there—useful, shiny, not unattractive, but not noteworthy.
Artificial Stupidity: My Misadventure with Chat GPT
As I head into holiday time, I thought it would be good to invite a guest to write my next blog post. So I asked my friend Chatty, aka Chat GPT (an AI program), to imitate my style with a new blog post.
What Is the Good News? Hear ye, hear ye!
One of my own favorite lines I’ve ever written is in my book Champagne for the Soul where I say: “If you don’t know the good news, keep asking and asking until the answer that comes provokes an eruption of joy.”