Author Archives: salooper57

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About salooper57

Husband, father, pastor, follower. I am a disciple of Jesus, learning how to do life from him. I read, write, walk, play a little guitar, enjoy my family.

More Than Colored Eggs and Chocolate Bunnies

Posted on March 31, 2018 by salooper57

The Easter circulars came out last week, and they were full of little girls’ dresses and little boys’ suits. Pastel colors were everywhere, dyed eggs and chocolate bunnies ubiquitous. Every kind of ham you can imagine, and some you’ve never … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Peace with God, Spiritual life, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Need Help Getting Ready for Easter?

Posted on March 27, 2018 by salooper57

If you’re like me, Easter time is very busy: Gone most evenings, with lots of things on the calendar and the to-do list. It’s easy for Easter to sneak up and find us unprepared to celebrate the biggest thing that … Continue reading →

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Preacher, Prophet, Martyr, Saint

Posted on March 24, 2018 by salooper57

Pope Francis has made the canonization of Archbishop Oscar Romero his own project. Though the lengthy process was begun during the papacy of John Paul II, opposition caused it to stall. But in 2015, Francis beatified Romero, which opened the … Continue reading →

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Alexa, Stop Creeping Me Out

Posted on March 17, 2018 by salooper57

Yet another reason why I don’t own a smartphone or tablet. Alexa, Amazon’s artificial intelligence-based personal assistant, has been laughing at her masters, and it is creeping them out. According to Amazon, it just a voice recognition flaw, but when … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Faith, In the News, Lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Only Way Out Is Up

Posted on March 10, 2018 by salooper57

When Richard Spencer, the Alt-Right leader and social firebrand, came to Michigan State University this week, four police officers suffered minor injuries and twenty-five people were arrested. According to The Chicago Tribune, only 150 tickets were issued to the event, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, In the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The King of the Castle?

Posted on March 8, 2018 by salooper57

I just finished a short series titled, “The King of the Castle.” The king is not husband/dad but Jesus the Lord. How do we seek (and experience) the kingdom of God in our homes? The first message in the series … Continue reading →

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Chris Pratt Abused for Admitting That He Prays

Posted on March 3, 2018 by salooper57

When the actor Chris Pratt tweeted that he was praying his derriere off – he didn’t use that French word but a ruder English equivalent – for filmmaker Kevin Smith, he was roundly criticized. That is putting it too mildly. … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, In the News | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Congratulations on Your New Home, Billy

Posted on February 24, 2018 by salooper57

How would Billy Graham respond to all the publicity surrounding his death? I suspect he would do what he routinely did – he was, after all, no stranger to publicity. He would ask himself and his team: “How can we … Continue reading →

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The Key to the Good Life

Posted on February 17, 2018 by salooper57

The good life is all about good relationships. Our most serious problems and our greatest accomplishments involve relationships. Studies have repeatedly shown that good relationships contribute more to happiness than success, and bad relationships contribute more to unhappiness than failure. … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Lifestyle, Marriage and Family | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Strange History of St. Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 10, 2018 by salooper57

It’s almost Valentine’s Day. The pressure is on. Forget to buy a gift, and you might be in the doghouse. Forget to send a card, and you’ll be lucky to get the doghouse key. I almost always remember to buy … Continue reading →

Posted in In the News, Lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments