A few years ago, one of my good friends got cancer and died. As with many of those who have seen fit to confer wonderful friendship upon me, she left me with a gift to take along through the remainder of my own life. It wasn't a thing that she gave me; it was a way of thinking. It wasn't even so much the fact that she spoke the idea to me; she actually believed in the idea. When things were at their worst for her she said, "I'd rather have half-a-loaf, than no loaf at all." For me, she has become that phrase.
By Rev. Kenneth Marple M.A. All or Nothing Nonsense!
A few years ago, one of my good friends got cancer and died. As with many of those who have seen fit to confer wonderful friendship upon me, she left me with a gift to take along through the remainder of my own life. It wasn't a thing that she gave me; it was a way of thinking. It wasn't even so much the fact that she spoke the idea to me; she actually believed in the idea. When things were at their worst for her she said, "I'd rather have half-a-loaf, than no loaf at all." For me, she has become that phrase. By Rev. Kenneth Marple, M.A. A Visit to Ed Millsap’s Cabin
Ed lived at the far edge of Crown Zellerbach land in the state of Washington, about 20 miles north of the Columbia River. His small holdings were at the dead-end of the last logging road that led out into the great Washington forest. It was one of the few properties not owned by the big logging companies, or the state, or the national government. By Rev. Kenneth Marple, M.A. A Heretic May Be Someone Who Follows Christ Too Closely
When people fail to win their point fair and square, they often resort to name calling. It’s not intelligent or decent; but, it isn’t intended to be. Often times, a name that, for all good reasons, should be considered a compliment is actually intended as a humiliation. For example, in the past, people who helped the poor were called “do-gooders.” When I was a kid I used to think, “Can’t they think of something more imaginative than that? After all, none of our parents wanted us to grow up to be ‘do-baders’.” People who resisted racial bias, and identified with the plight of African-Americans in the 1950s and 1960s were called “nigger-lovers;” the term was meant to be offensive --and it was. You would think that either of the above phrases would have been compliments --they weren’t. To resist racial bias or to help the poor and disadvantaged were thought of as the height of stupidity and evil by many Americans. By Rev. Kenneth Marple, M.A. Why Don't You Write About Fathers?
That was the question a friend asked, as we stood together in the grocery store check-out line this morning. At first I thought, "Nobody will read it; who wants to hear about fathers?" Anyway, so much research has been done on absentee fathers, dead-beat dads, the lack of quality father/child time, and how the lack of a father affects the masculinity of boys and the femininity of girls, that I feel like we dads ought to lay low. One recent study estimates that an average employed American father spends 20 hours a week in the presence of his children; but, only two hours actively interacting with them. By Rev. Kenneth Marple, M.A. A 57 Knot Prayer
In many early religions, the repetition of a prayer was thought to increase God’s likelihood of coming across with the goods. It’s sort of like when you’re standing at the elevator door waiting for it to come --punching the button three or four extra times helps it to get there faster. It could be that the elevator forgot or is taking a nap, so you have to remind it. It seems that elevators and God must be “prodded along” and reminded often if you expect to get anything out of them. Anyone with a smidgen of common sense can see that if you ask God for something a hundred times, he’ll just have to give in to you. By Rev. Kenneth Marple, M.A. Hats Off to "The Hat House"
When Agnes Clark (born 1900, now deceased) was a girl growing up in Austinville, Pennsylvania, there was a house in town called "the hat house." The hat house stood three houses west of the Oldroyd road intersection, and has long since burned. It received its name from the big, black silhouette of a hat fastened up in the gable. Of course it was actually a millinery shop (hat store), but "hat house" was good enough for the kids growing up in town. I expect its presence in a small town just goes to show how hats have always played an important part in American culture. It's not at all unusual to walk into a home today and find a huge cap collection. We talk about "wearing different hats." In my own community, when someone puts on a Sylvania Lion's Club hat it can mean only one thing --he or she is ready to sell barbecued chicken! A hat can make you a different person. By Rev. Kenneth Marple, M.A. Could You Draw Me a Picture?
Place part "C" at a right angle to flange "L." Position the appropriate 2 5/16 inch fastener at location 12-A, then tighten loosely. Forget it; I say, go straight to the picture! The best teachers are the ones who "show us" how it's done, rather than tell us. In many cases, a "picture really is worth a thousand words." At least, for me it is. We would all agree that many things are taught better by demonstration and illustration. By Rev. Kenneth Marple, M.A. Those Incredible Moms
Mothers are unbelievable from day one. Attachment between children and their parents is one of the most important aspects of family relationships. Attachment is viewed as a normal, necessary ingredient of emotional health. So, how does attachment take place? Of course, babies seem to know how to do a dance of smiles and coos with the parents to help make the new partnership work. However, it is mom who plays an almost unbelievable part in bringing about the successful attachment of a child. By Rev. Kenneth Marple, M.A. Some Things Aren't Worth Collecting
People who grew up in the depression collect all sorts of things. "You never know when hard times will come and we'll need this," they say. When my parents moved off their farm to retire, the farm shop was full of old parts in new boxes. It was dad's practice to put the old part back into the new box after every repair. After all, it still worked a little - didn't it? By Rev. Kenneth Marple, M.A. While labeling a can of food can have a great advantage, the labeling of people is attended with life-changing consequences. Throughout his life, Abraham Lincoln suffered recurrent periods of severe depression. At age 29, he was plunged into a deep depression by the death of Ann Rutledge, his first love. Lincoln became distracted, wandering aimlessly about the banks of the Sangamon River. Believing that he might be suicidal, friends deprived him of knives and razors. Photographs taken throughout Lincoln's life show only the profoundly sad look characteristic of depression. By Rev. Kenneth Marple Sometimes You Have To Change Things
Most people come to counseling with feelings of helplessness. Of course, these feelings generate a great deal of pain and discomfort! Bad things have been happening to them. Initially, counseling provides needed support for the client. However, in the best case outcome counseling leads the client to discover and develop the resources to effect changes for him or himself. At the foundation of all good counseling is the idea that you can change things, including yourself! If you have an intolerable situation, habit, or feeling in your life, what makes you think things will become better if you do nothing? By Rev. Kenneth Marple, M.A. People Look For God In All The Wrong Places
Diogenes of Sinope was a Greek philosopher who is generally considered the founder of the Cynics school of philosophy. According to a popular story, Diogenes waked through Athens in broad daylight carrying a lighted lantern. When people questioned him about the lantern, he would reply, "I'm searching for an honest man." Most of us are more like Diogenes than we might think. We too, look for honesty, we look for truth, we look for love, we look for genuineness, we look for kindness, we look for fairness, it's all just another way of saying that we're looking for God. By Rev. Kenneth Marple, M.A. Different People Make The Difference!
Scientists tell us there are no two snowflakes that are alike: however, no one needs to tell us that there are no two people who are exactly alike! Rev. Kenneth Marple, M.A. Why It Is Important To Disagree
Few of my ancestors would have wanted to return to the "good old days." Truth is, "good old days" were tough. Really, what is so good about outhouses, carrying water, scrub boards, cold houses, muddy roads, chopping wood, low life expectancy, and high infant mortality? No, most of my ancestors welcomed change, and said so. Yet, just as we romanticize about the wonders of living in the agrarian world of the past, I expect that some of our ideas about the advanced morality of the past are equally inflated. |
Local ColumnistsFind articles by date or topic through quick links below. Categories
All
Archives
March 2020
|