Uncategorized – Page 3 – Charles Oberkehr

Anxiety, Grief, & Faith

Now, more than ever, it takes faith to navigate the shifting reality we are in the middle of. Not faith as in, ‘believing.’ No. Faith in its pure form. Trusting.

My emotions lie close to the surface these days. Is that pandemic stress? I’ve been collecting links. Little snippets of stuff, slipping them into my electronic pockets like smooth pebbles. Part of my list of gratitude, the crumbs of blessing by which maybe you can find your way home one day.Continue reading “In Spite of Ourselves”

Life in the Pandemic

Today, I went to the “State Store” (the only place you can get wine and liquor in PA) for a bottle of scotch. There was a sign on the door that said, “Closed Indefinitely.” Pennsylvania deems the sale of “spirits” a nonessential business. Later, I passed the shooting range / gun store. Cars in the parking lotContinue reading “Life in the Pandemic”

The Grace of New Things

Since they closed the Y in New Holland, I’ve been at a loss for a place to work out. Or not workout, more accurately. You get busy. Stuff happens. You know how it is. Anyway, I always knew the Y was there and would be ready when my motivation kicked back in. But then the Y closed. And now, aContinue reading “The Grace of New Things”

40 Days of Gratitude

So, here is what I’m discovering so far in my personal 40 Days of Gratitude: gratitude is a muscle that needs to be trained and strengthened like any other muscle. Wow, mine has gotten very flabby indeed. And yet, if it’s true (and I think it is) that we tend to find what we’re lookingContinue reading “40 Days of Gratitude”

American Beatitude

Blessed are the rich: Do we really need to spell it out for you? Every teacher since Mrs. Lucenik In the First Grade Had it on the syllabus. Whether you’re drawing apple trees With 10 red apples Or struggling with Pythagoras and Parallelograms It’s all the same. Don’t act surprised now Doesn’t everyContinue reading “American Beatitude”

LEAVING EDEN

I remember asking my aunt for water when I was very young. She asked, “hot or cold?” I had no idea. Up to this point in my life, there was only water. When I was thirsty, I asked for water. I got water. I drank it and I wasn’t thirsty anymore. That’s as far as it went. But I took aContinue reading “LEAVING EDEN”

Endings And Beginnings

I was walking the dogs in the park the other morning, when a guy called to me from the parking lot across the street. “The small one is trying hard to keep up.” The small one…that’s FanCee. Yes, she’s getting older and it takes a while for her joints to limber up. Especially in the morning. I getContinue reading “Endings And Beginnings”

The Surprise at the Heart of Faith

Like most of you, I have been deeply worried about the escalating tensions between Iran and the US. Watching the conflict unfold on the news this week, I am struck with the predictability of it all. We all know the steps. We learned them on the playground as children, just on a smaller scale. They are engrained in us. Continue reading “The Surprise at the Heart of Faith”

Flight to Egypt, Wailing in Ramah

Like many of you, we had a house, blessedly full, over Christmas. Today, the sneezing, coughing grandkids have gone home with their Christmas gifts and left a few gifts of their own behind. I have a sore throat, sinus congestion and at worship last Sunday, I wasn’t sure I would be able to finish theContinue reading “Flight to Egypt, Wailing in Ramah”