The Unclad Soul

An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language. ~ Martin Buber, Theologian/Philosopher In the photo above is Maggie, my son Luke's dog. She had been terribly abused by her original owner when Luke bought her and took her home with him. When I first met her some years ago she lowered her head, growled a little, and ran under Luke's truck. In time, after trying to gently approach her, she came to me. I wanted her   to know I meant her no harm; that I only wanted to love her. Her eyes still show some of her deep hurt and fear. And there is a bit of sadness in her expression. But, through Luke's love and care, she blossomed. She has such a stately presence now. When she's not inside the truck next to Luke, she is running alongside it when he’s going to feed the cattle. She is loyal to him in every way and protective to the end. She goes with him everywhere. She adores Luke. When I'm at the ranch she sits at my feet while I pet and love...

I Took My Daughter to the End of the World I took my daughter to the end of the world And showed her the carnage and death We walked through the ruins of Syria and Iraq And we saw things no humans should see There were children in blood and mothers in tears And fathers alone in the streets Bombs were falling not far away While the rubble and chaos   were   near There were screams of pain There were screams of fear And my daughter said, Daddy, Why is this happening here? And back in the States where the power resides People don’t think of the end of the world We’re taking vacations on beautiful beaches And buying new cars and sleeping in peace Our homes are intact and there’s plenty of food There are concerts to attend and ballgames to watch Our politicians grow old in their greed and indifference While the Church sings its empty hallelujahs The people with influence who could make something happen Do nothin...

“War has no longer the justification that it makes for the survival of the fittest; it involves the survival of the less fit. The idea that the struggle between nations is a part of the evolutionary law of man's advance involves a profound misreading of the biological analogy. The warlike nations do not inherit the earth; they represent the decaying human element.” ~ Norman Angell, British Economist/Author We need a progressive president and leaders in this country who will refuse to fund giant billionaire munitions and drone companies and a bloated war machine and work for real peace between nations and people. We have become far too accepting of the slaughter of innocents all over the world, all in the name of national security. The refugee crisis in Syria, Iraq, and other countries is a shameful obscenity. These people, mostly families, are fleeing for their lives. They have lost everything. When will we have leaders who actually believe in protecting humanity, not destr...

“It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive. ” ~ James Baldwin, Writer

In the movie, “The Adjustment Bureau,” ambitious politician David Norris (played by Matt Damon) and rising star ballerina Elise Sellas (played by Emily Blunt), fall in love. All is well until their romance is abruptly interrupted by mysterious forces. The Adjustment Bureau is a team of men in dark suits and felt hats who pull various maneuvers in an attempt to keep the couple apart. For reasons we’re not clear about, the Chairman (God?) of the Bureau (Heaven/Eternity?) sees trouble with this relationship. It does not fit into his “plan” for either of them. After a series of odd and sometimes dangerous situations, David Norris, in a clandestine meeting arranged by the Bureau, is confronted by a dignified man in a suit and hat named Thompson who is some sort of senior advisor to the Chairman. He has a serious discussion with Norris in which Norris is told in no uncertain terms that he is to no longer see Elise. Or else his memory will be erased and he’ll be, well, a blank sl...

“We need wilderness whether or not we ever set foot in it. We need a refuge even though we may not ever need to go there.”  ~ Edward Abbey, Environmentalist/Author

I lost a friend last week. Her name was Angi Jenkins. Only 46 years old, her life ended after a lifetime of battling cystic fibrosis. I knew Angi during my years in Hamilton, Texas. She moved to Dallas not long before I did. We reconnected here and then we became Facebook friends. She was often in and out the hospital dealing with serious health issues related to the CF. I dropped in on her unexpectedly one afternoon when she was having to stay at Baylor Hospital for several days. She apologized for not looking her best, but anyone who knew Angi knew it was impossible for her not to look her best. She had a luminous smile, a glowing spirit, and a bighearted presence that simply chased away any of the dark clouds that surrounded her illness. She dealt with her situation with gifted humor, beautiful poise, amazing courage, incredible love and faith. In these past days Saint Paul’s comment in his letter to the Philippians comes to mind: “I thank God every time I think of you....