Columns

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Kindergarten Lessons for Life*

By Norris Burkes April 30, 2023 Most of you likely recall the 1986 book, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.” The book contains short essays by American minister and author Robert Fulghum.  I’m not aware the author ever taught kindergarten, so I checked in with the renown, Mrs. Rebecca Burkes, a

Tattoos, Earrings and Purple Hair Don’t Define a Person of God *^

By Norris Burkes April 24 2023 “Our new pastor has a tattoo,” observed one my parishioners to another as we were trimming back the shrubbery along the church parking lot. The man seemed happy his pastor was “tatted” like him, so I told them both how I’d got it seven years ago to celebrate running

Tuesdays With Jim

By Norris Burkes April 16, 2023 There’s an old joke about a pastor who shared a dressing mirror with his wife every Sunday morning. Checking his tie, he asked, “Honey. How many great preachers do you think there really are in the world?” “I’m not sure,” she said, reaching to straighten his mismatched tie. “But

What if today was the First Easter?

By Norris Burkes April 9 2023 Readers: This column attempts a creative interpretation of Easter as if it happened today. I found the inspiration from this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjT7OvQMlQg&t=13s Editors everywhere are getting the same electrifying text message: “He’s gone!” Disheveled and breathless reporters from the “most trusted source in news” seem unable to believe

Shutting the Door to Prayer

By Norris Burkes April 2 2022 Last week, just as the airplane door shut on my United Airlines flight home from Honduras, a woman stood and began speaking to us in Spanish. I didn’t understand her words, but my keen “Chappy sense” made quick interpretation of her intent. Of course, the translation offered by my

A Father’s Questions

By Norris Burkes June 26 2023 Have you ever witnessed a reluctant child standing outside an open kindergarten door? The child’s arms are wrapped around the legs of a parent, not wanting to cross the threshold of learning. If so, you’ll know the point of view I enjoyed last week from inside Chispa Project’s newly

Don’t Give Damn Advice*

By Norris Burkes March 19, 2023 Have you ever been tempted to respond to unwanted advice with your best Rhett Butler’s impression and say, “Frankly my dear….” I’m sure you have. It’s a common response when we are the victim of hit-and-run advice giving. It’s a way of telling the opinionated busybody that they’ve not

Sharing Faith is No Easy Gig*^

March 10 2023 By Norris Burkes “Is it true you can’t pray in Jesus’ name or even share your faith?” These are questions I’ve answered many times from “concerned Christians” during my 28 years as an Air Force chaplain. The first one is not true. The second, well, that depends on where and how you

Life is Not a Drill

Life is Not a Drill By Norris Burkes March 5 2023 With all the news about politicians who’ve mishandled classified material, I feel left out. I retired as a lieutenant colonel but was never given the opportunity to mishandle secrets Well, I change that today.  In the Spring of 2009, I participated in a classified

Take Belief-O-Matic® Test to Find Your Faith Brand

Click here to take Faith test. https://www.beliefnet.com/entertainment/quizzes/beliefomatic.aspx Pew Research quiz at https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/quiz/religious-typology   By Norris Burkes Feb 26 2022 Perhaps you remember the famous Veg-O-Matic® commercial from the mid-1960s in which Ron Popeil, the self-titled “Salesman of the Century,” promoted a kitchen appliance better known as, “It slices, it dices, and so much more!” The

Jesus Gets his own PR guy

Feb 19, 2023 Even though my favorite team, the 49ers, missed their chance to compete in last weekend’s Superbowl, I still watched the game. Or at least the commercials. The ads contained the usual lineup this year in which we were wined, dined but mostly beer’d by the likes of Anheuser-Busch, Heineken and Coors. Doritos

A Valentine from A Hospice Chaplain

By Norris Burkes Feb 12, 2023 Like a lot of folks, Valentine’s Day isn’t my favorite holiday.  As it approaches, I’m still debating how much do I do and how many roses should I buy for 43 years of marriage. However, my job as a hospice chaplain has taught me that expressing love toward my