Category: Puzzler’s Corner Blog Posts
Midwest District Superintendent Blog
Adrenaline Rush
I first heard this term when I was in high school. It is one of the body’s defense mechanisms when one senses danger, experiences stress or is fearful. The release of adrenaline creates a flight or fight response in which there are physical changes in the body. Heart rate and blood pressure tend to rise. … Continue Reading Adrenaline Rush
Sheltering in Place
As we enter the first week of the Governor’s order to shelter in place, it is far too easy for us to focus on what we can’t do during this time. I have never been a cup ½ empty kind of person. I live by the words of the 23rd Psalm. My cup overflows. I… Continue Reading Sheltering in Place
Be Prepared, Don’t Panic
How to begin. I lived in Iowa for about 5 years. The floods of 1993 happened while I was there. That year, it had started raining in April, with a steady downfall of an inch or more each day. Over the July 4th holiday, the skies opened up. Nearly 10 inches of rain fell over… Continue Reading Be Prepared, Don’t Panic
Precious Lord
Last week I was watching a documentary which debuted in 1982. Its title is Say Amen, Somebody. Through interviews and performances, the film chronicles some of the early composers and musicians of African American gospel music. One of the people featured was Thomas A. Dorsey. In one scene, he told the story of how he… Continue Reading Precious Lord
The Roads We Travel
Last weekend, I put nearly 1,000 miles on my car. On Friday, I was invited to the transfer of property ceremony of the Saginaw Chippewa tribe in Standish, Michigan. And on Sunday, I went to St. Clair to celebrate a friend’s 90th birthday. Because I have never been to Standish before, I mapped out Friday’s… Continue Reading The Roads We Travel
Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley
The title of this week’s Puzzler’s Corner comes from a song I learned in Elementary School, back when we sang Christian songs and there were music classes. The verses of this song capture what these 6 ½ weeks of our Christian year are all about. Like Jesus, we must spend time in a valley of… Continue Reading Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley
Getting to Know You
The Midwest District has the honor of being the home for clergy who are starting their journey of servant leadership. These new folks were introduced at the District Conference on October 12, 2019. Each one will also be featured in a special Puzzler’s Corner. I invite you, who are their sisters and brothers to reach… Continue Reading Getting to Know You
Open a New Window
When I was in high school, one of the musicals we performed was Mame. The play and musical are based on the story of Patrick Dennis’ eccentric aunt who must raise her nephew after his parents die. One of the songs that explains Mame’s philosophy of life is called Open a New Window. The song… Continue Reading Open a New Window
Alphabet Soup
We are drowning in acronyms. There are too many abbreviations in our language. I began using them when I was in high school during my training to be a Nurse’s Assistant. One of my main responsibilities was recording vitals for patients. Since all medical records were written back then, shorthand codes were a must. BP… Continue Reading Alphabet Soup
The Never-Ending Story
There are phrases and sentences which have become classic. We may not remember how some of them became part of our lexicon. Others take us back to the moment we saw the movie, read the book or first heard the song. One of my favorite movie phrases is “A long time ago, in a galaxy… Continue Reading The Never-Ending Story