Author: Roger Edwards

2020 Hindsight

I went to my annual eye exam last week. I knew the first question they would ask would be, “How was your vision in 2020?” Although they would pose the question quite literally, I sat in the waiting room thinking more philosophically: How was my vision in 2020? Looking back, I don’t think I saw things clearly. Just then, the tech called me back and began the intake process. Sure enough, she asked, “How was your vision this past year?” “Well,” I hesitated, pondering, “Honestly, things seemed pretty blurry.” “Oh?”… Continue reading 2020 Hindsight

inbox indecision

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10   My inbox piles up. This bothers me. New email arrives and pushes the older emails down until they disappear below the screen horizon. But I know they are there, all those unanswered, unresolved, undecided emails. I don’t want to look. Of course, the more I avoid looking the worse it gets. Lines and lines… Continue reading inbox indecision

How to Prepare for Christmas Part IV: the Shepherds

The third angelic visitation happened to shepherds who were minding their own business, which is to say that they were minding sheep.  They weren’t preparing for Christmas; they were preparing for bed.  At this odd time (the middle of the night) and at this odd place (the middle of a field) an angel of the Lord appeared to them to announce the birth of the Messiah. You might also note the oddity of an angel appearing to these strange characters, for it seems peculiar that shepherds would be a chosen… Continue reading How to Prepare for Christmas Part IV: the Shepherds

How to Prepare for Christmas Part III: Mary

Luke: “…God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph…” The first thing you notice about how Mary approached Christmas is that she didn’t.  Christmas approached her: “God sent the angel…”  He initiates the encounter.  This heavenly message drastically upended Mary’s expectations.  She had no plans to be Mary, mother of God.  She was going to simply be Mrs. Joseph, wife of carpenter.  She was going to raise a family in a little (but well-built) home… Continue reading How to Prepare for Christmas Part III: Mary

How to Prepare for Christmas Part II: Zechariah

Two palms in mud and calluses are pointing up, hands of refugee and homeless. Concept hard work.

The first “fear not” visitation was the archangel Gabriel’s visit to the priest Zechariah announcing that his decades-long prayer for a child had been heard.  The news, designed to bring “joy and delight” to Zechariah, first produced fright.  So what’s up with that?  Why the scare?  Do you have to be off-balance in order to receive good news? I can relate to Gabriel’s mission.  As a boy, if I knew my older sister was going into our unfinished basement, say to get something from the freezer, I would run around… Continue reading How to Prepare for Christmas Part II: Zechariah

how to prepare for Christmas: part I

Three angelic visits prepared for the world for the birth of Christ.  Three times heaven touched the earth.  Three times the earth tilted awkwardly under the weight of glory. Three times those that witnessed those angelic visits were thrown off-balance.  It was intentional.  Off-balance, it seems, is how you prepare for Christmas and the three angelic visits illustrate this.  You begin the journey to Christmas – not by getting your bearings – but by losing them. First, Gabriel appeared to Zechariah while he was burning incense in the temple, to… Continue reading how to prepare for Christmas: part I

Ned-in-My-Head Part II: Dealing with Your Inner Critic

Recently, I named my inner critic.  I chose Ned (short for Ned-in-My-Head, which stands for Negative Edwards; get it?).  The idea, which I got online, is this: nicknaming your inner critic gives a little critical distance to first recognize when it is happening, and then make some choices about how to engage that voice. The more I thought about this, the more hopeful and empowering it became.  Imagine! What if you could relate differently to that inner negative voice?  What if you could get enough distance to actually dialogue productively… Continue reading Ned-in-My-Head Part II: Dealing with Your Inner Critic

ned in my head-part 1: dealing with my inner critic

I’ve got this voice in my head.  Well, maybe not a voice exactly, but not a thought either. Something in between? The “voice” functions like play-by-play analyst commenting on my life.  There is a near-constant stream of it, so that I often don’t distinguish the voice from my regular thoughts. But oh, there is a difference. For one, the voice is negative. That’s why some people call it the inner critic.  Let’s say I’m in conversation with someone and I forget their name.  My regular thought might say, I can’t… Continue reading ned in my head-part 1: dealing with my inner critic

“peevish” is me-ish

Last Sunday, on my way to the COVID policy-compliant church service, I realized that I’d forgotten my mask. Oh bother, I thought (with a less-than-compliant attitude), now I’ll have to find an alternative or go home to get mine.  Fortunately my wife had an extra, but without the little wire thingy to mold it around the bridge of your nose. Each time I spoke or sang, my glasses fogged up. I grumbled, Effective aerosol containment, huh? I readjusted it and settled in to my practiced church-service-rhythm. It was all going… Continue reading “peevish” is me-ish

why am i so defensive?

Turning off Threatened with finger on electrical switch

Taking things personally is my spiritual gift. It doesn’t take much to “activate” my special ability. A driver cuts me off in traffic; I flinch in indignation. Someone doesn’t notice what I do; I take it as rejection. The circumstances vary, but my reaction is predictable. I feel/perceive a relational pinch,  identify it as a threat, then launch one of my defensive postures. It’s all very seamless and takes mere nanoseconds to dive into it. It takes longer, however, to come out of it. I’d like to think that my… Continue reading why am i so defensive?