First Presbyterian Church of Valparaiso

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV) In previous blogs, I have talked about running and racing. The above quote has become one of my favorite passages in the Bible. Most runners will tell you that the above verse has inspired them during their training and racing. I feel this verse has gained even more of a special meaning this past year. While running marathons, the toughest miles one runs can be after mile 22.

“He who sings prays twice.” Saint Augustine Beyond the ritual dyeing of a couple of dozen hard boiled eggs and hunting for hidden treasures in my Grandmother’s backyard, I don’t have a lot of vivid childhood memories about Easter. One thing that does stand out in the hazy recesses of my memory is my Uncle Pete. Uncle Pete was my mother’s favorite uncle in an extended family which included seven brothers and three sisters. Uncle Pete was known for two things, raising and selli

One of the best things about having an old Bible that you have carried around and written in and underlined and marked-up over the years is that you end up with a record of passages that have been especially meaningful to you at different times during your life. A passage that has been important to me at different times over the years is from Psalm 126: The one who goes forth weeping bearing seeds for sowing shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing the sheaves with him. T

On Sunday afternoons, a small group of our church members meets on Zoom to talk about poems. While I’ve loved poetry all my life, experience has taught me that not everyone shares my passion. I taught English at the college level for 30 years. During the last few years, most of my students in a literature survey class were nursing students! I was impressed that the directors of the program required the class because they understood the unique power of literature to open their