Kinds of kindness

Thank you, folks at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly, for running my ... stuff.
What type of kindness fits your life best?

"What is kindness? A basic definition is far from satisfying. 'Kindness is the quality or state of being kind.' Would it be unkind here to comment, 'Well, duh'?"

Gordon Gekko, Greed and Grace

"For lack of a better term (here adapting a line from a 1987 movie) 'good greed is good.'”
My latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly.

Give "personal" peace a chance

You can find my latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly here.

No, most of us won’t broker a fair and lasting truce between two countries, but each of us can do something about the inner turmoil that bubbles up within ourselves throughout our lives.
We can give “personal peace” a chance.

Peace!

Why God Wants You to Be a Little Impractical

My latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly.

Take comfort in the fact God is a big-picture guy. A creative, big-picture guy. It’s not that he’s playing chess while we’re playing checkers. Closer to he’s playing chess, and we’re gnawing on a checker piece. And drooling.

God understands that we don’t get it. If he had wanted us to completely get it, he would have created us to completely get it while on earth. (Later in heaven, yes!) But he didn’t. So we don’t.

The Spirituality of Creativity

The Spirituality of Creativity

My latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly. Featuring "20 Ways You're More Creative Than You Realize." (Including "your happy dance.")

Just keep writing.

So much stuff! Making room for God

“What I really want, Lord, is to be your faithful disciple, but we all need our creature comforts. Am I right, or am I right?”

My latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly.


Just keep writing.

"The virtue and and value of quitting (sometimes)"

 It's about time Jesus got some credit for being a quitter.

 My latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly.

Just keep writing.

It's a shame we're losing our (healthy) sense of shame

My latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly with a sidebar titled: Shame and 'Little Catholic Girl Guilt'. (Bless them all, of all ages!)

Is it a sin to gossip if you're telling the truth?

My latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly.

Is it a sin to gossip if the story’s true? That’s not breaking the Eighth Commandment, is it? The one that forbids bearing false witness against your neighbor?
False witness, bad. OK. But true story … well. Hmm. This seems to have some possibilities.
Perhaps the snag is the word “gossip.” So let’s say “share.” Is it a sin to share if the story is true? Not to sound all “piousy” here, but as Catholics aren’t we called to share the truth?
Wait! Could this mean gossiping … uh … sharing the truth is the right thing to do? Dare we even call it holy!...

More here.

Just keep writing. (Use fictional people with fictional scandals. In other words, write your novel.)

7 Ways to Recharge Your Spiritual Batteries

My latest for Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly.

Tips on dealing with the "spiritual blahs."

Sometimes God really does give you more than you can handle

My latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly.

An excerpt focusing on not helping others:

Coupled with this, making it even easier to zip along on our merry way — as if we needed to make it easier for ourselves — is another far-less-than-helpful catchphrase: “pull yourself up by your bootstraps."

Never mind that it’s unclear where that little chestnut originated or how one is supposed to pull oneself up by bootstraps, those leather loops on the backs or sides of some boots.

Instead, consider this: Did you ties your shoes today? (Now, now, no smart-alecky remarks about how you’re wearing slip-ons. What are you, a middle schooler?) 

Yes, you tied your shoes. And how did you learn to do that? Someone taught you. Patiently, probably. That someone didn’t look down on you (literally as well as figuratively) and say: “God never gives you more than you can handle. Have a nice day!”

 And one more:

The crosses we or others have to bear are meant to be shared. The God of love doesn’t want any of us to have to go it alone.

Types A and B: He created them

My latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly, with the subhead: Advice for married couples with opposite personality types.

And includes a sidebar that points out:

"It’s good to keep in mind that what makes your family of origin colorfully eccentric, unique and original can seem to your spouse to be further proof that it’s ... well ... just plain weird. 

"And both of you are right."

(And features a l-e-e-e-e-e-e-tle bit about playing Michigan Rummy with... well, let's not name names.)

Faith and Fear

My latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly. A look at faith and fear.

Surfing the Catechism

My latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly:
"Surfing the Catechism on It's Silver Anniversary"

Figuring Out God's Will for You, Right Here, Right Now

My latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly on playing the cards God dealt you.

"At first glance it can seem Jesus left us zero wiggle room when it comes to our doing God’s will. But that’s not so...."

You can read more here.

Mother Cabrini: America's First Saint Was an Immigrant

Who became a citizen in Seattle!

My latest article in Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly.
Mother Cabrini: an immigrant who shows us the way

"Nearly 100 years after her death, the saint shows how we as a Church and nation should care for those coming to our country."

Fatima: A Celebration 100 Years in the Making

"Pope St. John Paul II, patron of party planners.

"No, that’s not any sort of official title, but it certainly fits. And it’s a good one to keep in mind in 2017 as the world marks the 100th anniversary of Our Lady’s visit to three young children in Fatima, Portugal."

From my latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly.

7 Ways to Say 'Thanks' to God

My latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly.
I should have posted this sooner. So much for my "less procrastinating" resolution for 2017.
7 Ways to Say 'Thanks' to God

Caregiving: A living prayer

My latest at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly.

Caregiving: A living prayer

Some of you may know in 2005 my late wife, Monica, and I founded the Friends of St. John the Caregiver. I've continued that work since her death in early 2013.

Her death is why I wrote "Mildred Nudge: A Widower's Tale."

Just keep writing.

Writing about Saints, Sin and Satan

"There’s no need to mention here that Satan is an equal-opportunity tempter. Plenty to go around for all."

From my latest article at Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly.

"Saintly Advice on Kicking Sin to the Curb"