michael

Backstory When I was a kid, I learned that some of my friends were “Catholic” – and one of the things that meant was, beginning at a certain age (this was a long long time ago, so specific age numbers haven’t stayed with me), they had to begin going to “confession.” This meant that once […]

When I was five years old, we lived in a small county-seat town in the prairie land of the far northeast corner of North Dakota. Three Distinct Memories 1)  The snow plows on the county roads had augers on their front, instead of plows – to cut through super deep snow drifts, and throw it

Story – an Introduction I grew up on stories.  Both of my parents were great at reading to us (my childhood memory is that it was every night).  It was just what parents did – apparently had always done – probably since the beginning of time itself. Even as I write this, I can look

I’ve been counseling couples for almost 50 years now. And in that time I’ve learned a lot, and re-learned a lot, and had to re-learn a lot. I’ve also been amazed and delighted by some wonderful mysteries that emerge from this territory, as well as a few horrors and distressful cruelties. And then there is

This recently came to my awareness when I realized that frequently in Christian liturgical language, God is named as “Maker of heaven and earth.1” Initially I’d consider that we live in one of those places, and the other is the other – hopefully where’s we’ll go when we’re done here (good sixth-grade theology). Then a

What’s going on when someone speaks your name? Sometimes I’ll ask a client about their name. “Where does it come from?” The question itself assumes it comes from somewhere. As if there is a story behind it. Tell me a story about your name. Or a particular meaning. Were you named after somebody (in particular)?

Backstory I have a vivid memory of the occasion when I first fell in love with what I’ve ever since called “real bread.” It was in the mid 1960s – a long time ago.  I was in the midst of 3 years seminary training in northern New Jersey, and in one of our summer breaks,

Hope At the turn of the year, I heard many comments from friends and clients, that we have just come through a most difficult year (2025). Some of those who had suffered personal difficulty or tragedy, would seem able to look to the New Year 2026 with Hope. Now hope is generally an American phenomenon,

Backstory You will note from the date at the end of this December Newsletter, that I am very late to write for this month. I have tried many topics, thinking while lying in bed at night or early morning – only to have each of them collapse after a paragraph or two. Our current times

There’s a story that comes out of Africa – that I’ve heard told a number of times – which is often the case with important teaching stories.  In the old traditions, they have a way to insist on being told.   This is a story that the elders of the tribe make sure to teach