By Norris Burkes Oct 4 2020 If you were a “Friends” fan, you’ll likely know the acronym “BFF” popularized by the Phoebe character in the NBC series. BFF or “Best Friends Forever” saw wide use among women, but not so much by men folk of my certain age. Nevertheless, I’m proud to describe Roger Williams
By Norris Burkes Sep 27 2020 I’m lucky that my wife, Becky, still laughs at the preposterous proposal I made to another woman 42 years ago. Today, you’re also lucky because she’s approved my retelling the story to you. I begin by explaining how, early in our marriage, we routinely substituted the Brand “X” for
By Norris Burkes, Sep 20,2020 Have you heard the song “Blessings” by Laura Story that she concludes with, “What if trials of this life … are your mercies in disguise?” I confess, I feel a little nauseated when someone suggests that my trials are somehow a “blessing in disguise.” The sentiment comes off sounding like
By Norris Burkes Sep 11, 2020 Like most of you, I hate to wait in line. Truthfully, much of my 28 years in the Air Force can be summarized with the military oxymoron, “Hurry up and wait.” My distaste for waiting is placated only when I hear someone pronounce the word “next.” “Next” becomes my
By Norris Burkes, Sep 6 2020 Has the pandemic made you a bookworm? Me, not so much. A good chaplain should revere books, but this reverend has fallen short this year. I’ve checked out dozens of library books but read only eight. Still, that number seems enough to fulfil my annual Labor Day promise to
By Norris Burkes Aug 28 2020 Last week, I opened my Facebook account to find an encouraging video shared by my former employer, St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton, Calif. The rousing production gave me happy chills to see “Lewis” walk through a crowd of cheering employees who were celebrating him – their 500th COVID-19
BY Norris Burkes, Aug 21 2020 Over the years, people have asked me if I dance, and I often reply, “No, I’m a Baptist.” “What does that have to do with your dancing ability?” they’ll ask. My answer comes from the lyrics of George Michael’s 1981 hit song Careless Whisper – “Guilty feet have got
Aug 14 2020 By Norris Burkes I was a 19-year-old ministerial student at Baylor University when I was given my very first opportunity to preach. Even though the preaching gig was before a much smaller Sunday-night crowd, I brought extensive preparation. I felt confident that my studies of all the great orators like Paul Harvey,
BY Norris Burkes Aug 9 2020 There’s something you should know about me. I suffer from OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). Please, take my confession with a grain of salt. Or grab the whole shaker in case you need more. Mine is more an imaginary OCD, a mild case with respect to those who suffer the real
By Norris Burkes, Aug 2, 2020 Just before the quarantine started, my wife Becky and I sat with a lawyer redoing our Estate Plan. “I love that word “Estate,” I told the lawyer. “It makes me feel like I own the Ponderosa.” “Well, you don’t,” Becky said, using her no-nonsense teacher tone. “Right,” added
By Norris Burkes July 26, 2020 Thirty years ago, I was having some discord in my first pastorate when, worried about job security, I called my dad, a retired pastor. “Dad, were you ever fired from a church?” I asked. “Yes, in Louisiana,” he said. “I brought a black man to church and the deacons
By Norris Burkes, July 17, 2020 If you’ve read my columns this month, you’ll be expecting my third of four July Freedom columns. However, you aren’t likely expecting the topic of Freedom of the Press from a spirituality columnist. These days, Freedom of the Press feels more like a free-for-all. Anyone with a twitter account
