TheBuddyBlog.Com

Category: Faith

  • Idol Worship?

    Idol worship.   The phrase conjures up all kinds of images — ancient biblical names like Baal and Moloch, and modern idols like sex, power, money, and fame. I recently discovered another blogger, BeautyBeyondBones.com, who shared a reflection titled, The Idol of Self. It was an honest, open admission that anorexia had nearly claimed her…

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    My Oxford Year and Secular Rom-Coms

    This past weekend, my wife and I were in the mood for a good romantic comedy. Netflix had just released what appeared to be another Hallmark-like rom-com, My Oxford Year. To our surprise, it proved to be more of a tearjerker than an emotionally satisfying feel-good experience.  It was also a perfect example of the…

  • Tender Mercies

    Over the years, my faith has grown in spurts.  But it is growing.   I have long purposed to always-be-a-student in regard to my faith journey.  I worship the God of the Old and New Testaments, and as a Christian, I delight in discovering some new insight that draws me closer to my Creator, my…

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    Fear Stalks a Hospital Waiting Room

    Maybe it’s because it was Friday the 13th. Maybe because it was the waiting room of a Cardiac Surgical Center in one of the largest hospitals here in Augusta. Maybe because you are sitting in a room with people who share the same heavy anxieties. But fear stalks a hospital waiting room like a hungry…

  • Sua Sponte

    Ash Wednesday marks the traditional start of the Lenten season. Christian faith communities observe this season in various ways, including revivals, renewal weekends, fasting, and sacrificial acts — and don’t forget those Friday night fish frys. Lent is a time to focus on repentance, forgiveness, and receiving God’s mercy and grace. It is a time…

  • What Are Some of Your Biggest Pet Peeves in Life?

    Call them what you will: pet peeves, sources of irritation, challenges to my tolerant spirit, or simply things that “get my goat.” Whatever you call them, I confess to having a few. What are the pet peeves that rancor my soul? In no particular order, here are the annoyances that peeve yours truly: My list…

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    The Front Row of a Funeral

    Unless you have sat in the front row of a funeral, you do not know how painful grief can be. You are not alone in the front-row seat. An unwelcome visitor named Grief now clings to you like the humidity of a Georgia August. You discover a newfound sense of emptiness as wave after wave…

  • The Significance of Gift Wrapping

    The Significance of Gift Wrapping

    My wife and I take two different approaches when wrapping gifts at Christmas time. She is a connoisseur of decorative packaging, a guru of gift presentation, a wizard of wrapping, a master of ribbons and bows—well, you get the idea. She takes delight in a gift well-wrapped.  In her mind, taking the time to find…

  • Saying Grace and Planting Seeds of Virtue

    It has long been our family tradition to say grace before meals.  I have found it fascinating how many different ways we refer to this simple act before eating.  Some folks “say grace”, while others “return thanks” or simply “say a blessing.”  Whatever, you call it, it is an act with profound meaning.   Having…

  • The Transcendent Beauty of Stained Glass

    Stained glass windows in churches have long been a source of fascination and inspiration for me. I know I can worship God anywhere, anytime, and I do not need beads, crosses, or colored windows to do so. Yet, I have experienced moments with a grand sense of peace, serenity, and God’s presence, all from sitting…