In the United States, there is a wide range of acceptable price ranges for goods and services. For example, I live in Manhattan in New York City, which is the second-most expensive city in the U.S. When you live, work, and play in New York City, you know that– for
Real riches are the riches possessed inside. B.C. Forbes, founder of Forbes magazine When people gauge success in consumer society, it’s typically based on salary and the accumulation of wealth/material possessions. As you make more money, and amass more money and possessions, you continue to be more and more “successful.”
Note: This is a guest post by Johanna Rehbaum, pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Pittsford, NY. She enjoys pine-covered mountains, perfectly ripe avocados, writing theological reflections, and jam sessions with her husband and two young children. She can often be caught mindlessly harmonizing. Joy: Our Natural State I had
I, like many who attended American high school, remember reading and learning about Henry David Thoreau. A naturalist who eschewed society, he is especially known for his famous book Walden. Thoreau lived in a simple cabin on Walden Pond for 2 years, only ate beans, and spent his time alone
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” St. Augustine of Hippo, Confessions One of the things I love about being part of the human race is that God has created each of us to be uniquely different. We each have
As the pandemic continues to drag on, many of us are having a difficult time feeling positive or excited about life, as well as feeling unmotivated and/or stuck. If you’ve felt like this, you’re not alone. I’ve felt it myself– It’s usually accompanied by a sense of numbness, apathy, or
Benjamin Franklin once wrote a famous quotation about money that still haunts us today: Remember that time is money. He that can earn ten shillings a day by his labour, and goes abroad, or sits idle one half of that day, though he spends but sixpence during his diversion or
Right after Christmas, there is a major milestone that everyone is very much aware of: the starting of a new calendar year. For some, this marking of a new year is full of joyful expectations. Excited about the possibilities, these folks look forward to starting something new and what the
Note: This is a guest post written by Kate Gungor, Pastor of Spiritual Formation at Good Shepherd New York. She is a practicing spiritual director both with individuals and in groups, and also works as a coordinator with the Center for Christian Spirituality at General Theological Seminary. When Becca (The
A few weeks ago, I took part in a contemplative prayer walk. Our small group started by walking slowly around the grounds of our seminary, on our own and yet together at the same time. When we had done that for a few minutes, the leader invited us to continue