The Cross and Pen

I’m fortunate that I grew up in a decade devoid of technology and ubiquitous distractions. Born in the mid-60s, I grew up in the 70s amid platform shoes and bell bottoms - styles that have interestingly made a resurgence decades later. There was no Internet, no home computers, no cellphones, no cable TV, and no video games. I remember calling information to obtain a phone number and speaking to a live person. Phones were mounted on the wall on sat on a table. Cordless phones didn’t exist. Television consisted of four VHF channels and three UFH. Life was much simpler. But why? Well, as I reflect back on my life as compared to that of today (writing a blog for example), I realize there is a plethora of distractions today competing for my attention. Growing up, one of the things I looked forward to was the Sunday newspaper. In the center with advertisements and coupons was the TV Guide for the local area. I’d pursue it to see if my favorite shows were going to be on or if they had been re...

Aging is an interesting process. Although the body changes, the mind remains somewhat the same. That is, mentally I don’t feel much older than when I was in high school. I’ve managed to retain my youthful outlook on life, which I suppose is a good thing, and I’ve gained some maturity along the way. Not a bad combination, really. However, the two can sometimes work against each other as I sought to find a purpose in life. In my youth, my purpose was to live and follow the script, as it were. By that I mean complete my education, find a job and career, get married, have kids, and then…and then what? Ironically, for many of us, our purpose is attached the phases of our lives, getting from point A to point B. Our society is predicated upon us hopscotching from one task to another. We go from elementary school to middle school to high school to college and so on. The process continues for decades. Therein we find our purpose - sort of. While meaningful at the time, our purpose is fleeting a...

Have you ever wanted to quit Christianity? What I mean by that is have you ever felt so overwhelmed trying to live the Christian life that you wanted to give up? The Christian life is a serious, life-long undertaking. Once you become a Christian, you’re marked for life. It reminds me of the Mafia, not that I was ever a member. No, years ago I decided to give the HBO series The Sopranos  a view and ended up watching all six seasons. My father-in-law was Italian. A big fan of the book The Godfather, he embraced his roots and supported all things Italian including the mob. He didn’t condone their actions, mind you, but when asked about them, he quipped, “It’s just business.”  Having watched the complete Sopranos series, I learned a few things about the Mafia lifestyle - and indeed that’s exactly what it is, a lifestyle - a choice of how to live. “Made” members are the elite in the criminal organization, the chosen ones who’ve “made their bones” and taken the oath of silence known...