“The kingdom of God is like kudzu planted in a field.” Would Jesus have ever said such a thing? Yes, I think so. You see, he once compared God’s work in this world to a growing “mustard seed” and like “yeast mixed in with the dough.” Making the jump from mustard and yeast to kudzu is not as far a leap as you might think.

On Sept. 17, a group gathered in Zuccotti Park in the financial district of New York. The rally, promoted by the anti consumerist Adbusters Media Foundation, was intended to draw attention to and cause separation of money from the American political process. It has had a life of its own. In the words of Stephen Stills' tune, "There's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear."

Unity of Chandler, Home of Divine Love, 325 N. Austin Drive, Suite 4, will be reunited with its founding minister, when the Rev. Kyra Baehr returns for a visit later this week.

I want to apologize to you up front. I had hoped to give you a cheerful voice today. To encourage and inspire you. But at times I am gently reminded that my call (and yours) to pepper the world with "salt and light" often takes a shape of blistering truth telling. And today I feel scared, sad, doubtful and angry. Despair and anger seethes everywhere I turn, in my home, in the heartland, across the globe. My yoke feels heavy; and my response is not always ideal. 

I want to apologize to you up front. I had hoped to give you a cheerful voice today. To encourage and inspire you. But at times I am gently reminded that my call (and yours) to pepper the world with "salt and light" often takes a shape of blistering truth telling. And today I feel scared, sad, doubtful and angry. Despair and anger seethes everywhere I turn, in my home, in the heartland, across the globe. My yoke feels heavy; and my response is not always ideal. 

"Is love enough to make a marriage work?"

"Is love enough to make a marriage work?"

"I can't wait until Christmas!" exclaims my 8 year old several times a day. Then he does a little dance, electric anticipation popping and fizzing about him.

"I can't wait until Christmas!" exclaims my 8 year old several times a day. Then he does a little dance, electric anticipation popping and fizzing about him.

In a penultimate scene in Kevin Costner's underrated 2003 western, "Open Range," there is a lull in the shooting between the cattle baron with his henchmen and the free-range cowboys with the townspeople. With a 17-year-old boy in between them, bleeding from a previously inflicted wound, Annette Bening's character goes into the middle of the street shouting, "Stop it. Stop it right now." It is an act of extraordinary courage given that the bullets have been flying with deadly accuracy, and one that contains a very certain element of self-sacrifice.