Author Archives: salooper57

Unknown's avatar

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.

Relationships Are Key to a Flourishing Life

Posted on April 28, 2018 by salooper57

In, The Adventure of Silver Blaze, Arthur Conan Doyle puts Sherlock Holmes on the case of a missing thoroughbred, horse-napped on the eve of a big race. His trainer is also missing and presumed dead. Holmes usually solves cases by … Continue reading →

Posted in In the News, Lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

What Do Those Lyrics Mean, Anyway?

Posted on April 22, 2018 by salooper57

I was a teenager when Don McLean’s classic song, “American Pie,” came out. In study hall, my friends and I would debate the meaning of the lyrics, when we were supposed to be doing our homework. We would wonder out … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mistaking a Caricature for the Real Thing

Posted on April 14, 2018 by salooper57

Political cartoonists must love President Trump: he is so easy to caricature. It only takes a few swipes of the pencil, the outline of a hairstyle, and everyone knows they are looking at Donald Trump. Of course, every president gets … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What to Look for in a Mentor

Posted on April 7, 2018 by salooper57

One of the best things I’ve ever done was to enter a mentoring relationship with Kenneth West. I was a young man, still in my twenties, working as a lead pastor for the first time in my life, and woefully … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Storied” People

Posted on April 3, 2018 by salooper57

The people of Jesus are “storied” people. They not only know the story, they live the story;  it is still going on. You can hear the climactic episode of the ongoing story told in three parts at http://lockwoodchurch.org/media. Part I … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Christianity, Church, In the News, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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