The NU Blog Page

It is now autumn in the northern hemisphere. A few years ago, my wife and I enjoyed a ten-day trip to New England, where we were able to experience the brilliance of a colorful landscape made even more so by the changing colors of the leaves. Many people travel there in the Fall just to…

What about the “little prayers” we might offer throughout the day? I often take a great deal of time composing formal prayers, prayers to begin a meeting, prayers to recognize an associate’s particular accomplishment, and prayers to recognize the passing of a devoted servant of God. It came to me this week that these “big”…

What is the core of the gospel, or core gospel? There is a joke in English language training about getting “the wrong emphasis on the right syllable.” Verbally it is articulated, “…the wrong EmPHAAsis on the right syLABble” (It doesn’t work as well in written form as in spoken.) Verbally, it is a bit like…

Lessons from an Unexpected Adventure Throughout history, humans have harbored an innate fear of snakes. These slithering creatures have often been depicted as symbols of malevolence and deception in various cultures. In the Bible, the snake has served as a symbol of the “evil one” or the “deceiver.” From the serpent in the Garden of…

You never know how far a small investment might go. I recently discovered a small cardboard box full of old stationery and cards that have never been used but were tucked away in a forgotten far corner of my desk. Hiding among the papers was a little card with this on the back. It had…

I have fond memories of my grandmother’s old cooking pan. During the summer of 1965, I worked at a natural gas plant near where my Grandma Thyssen lived. It was a wonderful period of weekend bonding during which I would mow her lawn and she would tell me stories of what it was like back…

“Delight in Him from whom you have received everything that delights you.”                                                               Augustine Today we are celebrating, at least in the United States, the Thanksgiving holiday. It is a time for remembering what we have been blessed with: physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. A friend of mine recently approached this by focusing on…

Have you ever wondered about the halls of power? This evening my wife and I viewed Part 1 of a PBS special on the history of efforts to address climate change. It covered the period from the 1980s through the mid-1990s, long after we had left the energy business. Special attention was given to both the…

What is in the anatomy of a crisis? While crises come in all flavors, they share some common characteristics.  Typically, crises are sudden and unexpected; they are important to the one affected and produce significant consequences.  Usually, a crisis will also involve some form of loss.  Our lives are, quite simply, disrupted.  I suspect that…

WHY JESUS? “…always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (I Peter 3:15 NIV) Why have you chosen Jesus and the Christian “Way?” Perhaps it was the only option you were presented with as a child. “Jesus loves me this I…