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Author: pete.stohlman

Wishes, Dreams And Substance

Wishes, Dreams And Substance

At special times such as celebrating one’s birthday or favorite holidays, the subject of wishes arises of itself.  Those close to us are suddenly keen to know what would please us—what we might like, feel want of or desire.  Some ask our preferences because they are interested in our thoughts on how to enhance the pleasure of the whole family or group on the occasion at hand.  Such curiosity is somewhat rare.  Human beings as a rule, are not often asked for their wishes…

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Death Turns The Tables

Death Turns The Tables

Jesus of Nazareth was known for shaking things up.  He had a positive gift for “comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable” [a phrase credited to humorist Finley Dunne, in regard to the role of the newspaper].  Jesus turned conventional wisdom on its head all right, and he certainly knew how to speak bluntly, as when He told the religious leaders of His day: “…Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly…

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Love At First Sight

Love At First Sight

A question often asked in romance novels, smarmy films, “speed dating” clubs, and everywhere bad pick up lines are sold is, “Do you believe in love at first sight?”  And while this question is asked in restaurants and bars all over town, by people of varying motivations, you can be pretty sure of one thing: the questioner is desperate, deluded, or disingenuous. Typically, the individual making this inquiry is either experiencing a psychotic break with reality, is already in love—with themself—or has…

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Bedtime Story For Grownups

Bedtime Story For Grownups

What follows is a bedtime story of a different kind—a bedtime story for grownups.  It is a true story, though the events occurred long ago. Background: history records that ten of the Hebrews’ twelve tribes had split into a northern kingdom, which called itself Israel.  The remaining two tribes comprised the southern kingdom of Judah, after the patriarch of the same name.  Judah’s homeland was called Judea and his descendants were known as “Jews.”  The great city of Jerusalem, in which stood the fabulous…

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Going By The Book

Going By The Book

At the risk of dating myself, I will tell you that I have always loved books.  As a young boy, I once entered a summer reading contest at our local library.  My sweet and patient mother (God rest her soul) walked me down there again and again, across the railroad tracks and over a bridge spanning the river, so that we could return one armful and pick up another.  I won the contest easily, reading well over 300 titles that summer.  [Admittedly, children’s books…

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Truer Words

Truer Words

Are the four gospels recorded in the Bible actual eyewitness accounts of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as they claim?  The language itself argues that they are indeed.  I invite you to examine with an open mind, clues found in the words used in the last (24th) chapter of the Gospel of Luke, to describe the events that transpired after Jesus’ burial.  It is both illustrative of and representative of what you will find in any of the four…

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The Bridge Is Out

The Bridge Is Out

Not to bore you with a lot of history (heaven forbid), but humanity split with its Creator a long time ago.  The breakup came over the issue of sin.  The Creator called for its avoidance by the total abstinence method.  The created disagreed, preferring to explore the wonders of depravity, plumb the depths of misery and experience the thrills & chills of death and disaster.  There you have it—irreconcilable differences. For those of you playing the home version of the game, sin is lawlessness.   It’s…

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That Which Survives

That Which Survives

Down through the centuries opinions have differed as to the best way to nurture, care for and protect the human soul. One tragic sign of the times in which we live is that the care and feeding of a healthy human soul is neglected or ignored across broad swathes of the populace, all around the globe.  Some would not even agree that a human being has a soul.  Others argue over when a new human life acquires its soul. Still others, intent on pushing moral,…

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Written in Crimson

Written in Crimson

Before sitting down to write this column, I arranged five items on my desk: a Bible, a concordance, my laptop computer, a cup of coffee and a cookie.  Once settled into a chair, I prayed that the Holy Spirit would guide me to choose the Scriptures and the words He wanted me to use. Immediately afterward, I went right to work—on the cookie and the coffee.  As I did, a line in the middle of the cover of the concordance caught my…

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Fret Not

Fret Not

Many if not most Americans, even those who have read little or nothing of the Bible, have probably seen or heard the 23rd Psalm.  It appears on a host of mass-merchandized products from embroidered pillows and wall hangings to table trivets and coffee mugs.  It’s a staple in television shows when the setting is a church service or funeral and pops up in disaster flicks whenever the script calls for a stereotyped religious character to start spouting churchy stuff.  Part of its allure…

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