The first time I tried driving off-road solo, I got stuck. The Dodge I still drive has its oil filter at the bottom of the engine in front of the oil pan in an exposed place, so I had to be careful about straddling rock formations. However, I had already done some rather technical drivingContinue reading “Service Isn’t Optional”
Author Archives: frdavid11
Be Not Afraid
Of the many songs that have stuck with me since my childhood, one is from a Salvation Army Musical titled Glory. The song is called “The Name of Jesus,” and I think of it sometimes when I read Orthodox teaching about the Jesus prayer, because the song’s lyrics mention that “the powers of darkness inContinue reading “Be Not Afraid”
Death Changes Everything
In an episode of the television show House, a sick woman who is ill-treated by her boss plans to return to work for the same boss after her release from the hospital until she is confronted with a fatal prognosis. Facing her impending death, she resolves to do things differently in her remaining time andContinue reading “Death Changes Everything”
Contact is Inevitable
Most of my childhood baseball career was spent behind the plate. I loved playing catcher, mostly because my hero—Hall of Famer Johnny Bench—was a catcher, one of the all-time greatest. Not only did I get to see him play, but Bench taught me how to play baseball every Saturday morning on The Baseball Bunch. IContinue reading “Contact is Inevitable”
No, Luke, Don’t Trust Your Feelings
If you’ve never been around a pig farm, say a prayer of thanks. Pigs stink. A lot. So, when the protagonist of Jesus’ parable finds himself in their midst ready to eat out of their trough, he faces a certain set of awful circumstances. His reaction to those circumstances, however, is not as certain. ItContinue reading “No, Luke, Don’t Trust Your Feelings”
New Rules, Old Approach
Pitchers and catchers have reported to spring training, my MLB.TV subscription has renewed, and I can’t wait for baseball to begin a new season. No matter how the MLBPA and MLB try to ruin it for me, I cannot help but be positive in anticipation of each Major League season. This also seems to meContinue reading “New Rules, Old Approach”
Open Your Eyes
This past Tuesday, 28 November, the Church commemorated St. Stephen the New, and his story stuck with me throughout the week as I prepared for this Sunday’s sermon. He was born in 715 AD to pious Christian parents, and was named Stephen after the newly elected Patriarch of Constantinople asked God to bless him “throughContinue reading “Open Your Eyes”
Between the Lines
In America, we have devised a system for controlling the flow of traffic on the highways and byways across the continent. Our system principally utilizes colored lights, signs (both passive and active), barrier rails, and painted lines. I have found that other countries use these same means for traffic control, and for the same orContinue reading “Between the Lines”
Work Is Salvation
A few years ago, the Wall Street Journal ran a story about a growing financial trend known as FIRE, Financial Independence Retire Early, represented in the story by 38-year-old Seattle lawyer Sylvia Hall who wants to retire at age 40. To do that she is trying to amass $2 million in assets by saving about 70% ofContinue reading “Work Is Salvation”
Who IS My Neighbor?
Today we commemorate St John the Merciful, who was born in the year 555 AD on the island of Cyprus to pious Christian parents. His father was the governor of the island and saw to it that his son received the best possible education. John married and had children, but his family perished while heContinue reading “Who IS My Neighbor?”
An Orthodox Priest Abroad 