By Norris Burkes Jan 28 2024 Recently, my wife, Becky, and I were driving to a familiar Southern California city when we got in a bit of a disagreement. In the kindest way, she stated several times that I was driving in the wrong direction. I, in a less-than-kind way, made a clear case for
By Norris Burkes Jan 21 2024 Some of my most rewarding years in chaplain work were those I spent as the Chaplain for Women and Children at Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento (2002-2008). It was there my rounds often took me onto the high-risk maternity unit. Rooms in this unit were filled with scared pregnant
By Norris Burkes, Jan 14 2023 A regular reader wrote me last month to say, “We ALWAYS enjoy your columns and read them to our Sunday-school class.” I could hear the “but” coming in her compliment about the Chispa Project column when she asked, “May we hazard some chutzpah of our own by pointing out
By Norris Burkes Jan 7, 2024 In the fall of 1979, Becky said “yes” to marrying me but issued two quick conditions. She would not allow her dad to give her away. “I’m not any man’s property” she stated. (Instead, our parents stood together to declare their support for our marriage.) She would not
By Norris Burkes Dec 31 2023 Before my retirement as a healthcare chaplain, I was privileged to hear the prayers of patients who were hurting, sick and discouraged. They were heavenly appeals that I wanted to share with you, but patient privacy prevented that. However, in many cases, patient families recorded their prayers in the
By Norris Burkes Dec 24, 2023 Readers: This column is a Christmas meditation I wrote from the point of view of Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph. It proved to be a reader favorite when it was published in 2017, so I’m repeating it this year. ********** The crowing of the barn rooster stirs the young
By Norris Burkes Dec 17 2023 Honestly, it seems a bit odd that Advent sermons often begin with a lesson from John the Baptist. I mean, I’m uncomfortable that I share the Baptist name with my predecessor. While J-the-B was Jesus’ second cousin, they shared no resemblance in their preaching style. The “Babble-ist” was one
Note to readers: I invited James Wetzstein to write a guest column for Advent. Wetzstein is a cartoonist, PhD candidate, and Lutheran pastor. Dec 10, 2023 Have you ever noticed how enterprising individuals can turn nearly anything into a marketable advent calendar by dividing the merchandise into 24 discrete pieces? I prefer the traditional choice
By Norris Burkes Dec 3 2023 This is the time of year that many of us consider our charitable-donation budget. But as we decide how much to give, perhaps we also ought to calculate why we give. In his list called “Eight Degrees of Charity,” the 13th century Rabbi Moses Maimonides offers wise council for
By Norris Burkes and Sara Brakhane Nov 26, 2023 During the 22 years of writing this column, my favorite part is connecting with readers through personal visits, speaking tours, letters, and emails. This year I’ve been to a half dozen venues where I employ something I call my “Phil Donahue schtick.” With permission of
]Nov 19,2023 Note to readers: If you met my friend Susan Sparks, you’d immediately note our similarities. We have both written a syndicated spirituality column and we are both Baptist pastors. However, as a trial lawyer-turned-stand-up-comedian-and-Baptist-minister, she speaks in a unique voice. And that’s why I’ve asked her to pen this guest column for us as
By Norris Burkes Nov 12 2023 This Veteran’s Day I’d like to challenge you to spread your thanks-for-serving sentiment toward the spouse of a veteran. That’s because each year, I can’t help but think of the day in 2008 when I brought a documentary home for my wife, Becky. My wife doesn’t especially
