Point–Counterpoint Part One
Someone shared with me comments about poverty that he found on a social media site. The writer’s opinions (referred to as XYZ) are strong and probably held by others. Because we all look at...
Getting out of Poverty
On January 7, 2014, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that nearly one third (31.6%) of Americans lived in poverty for at least two months between 2009 and 2011. Of the 37.6 million people who...
A Common Foundation
Back in 2004, a group of religious bodies endorsed what they called A Common Foundation: Shared Principles for Work Overcoming Poverty. I share them with you. A Common Foundation: Shared Principles for Work Overcoming...
Trailer Park Living
This is one of the sights on the poverty tour. When a trailer park is the best housing a person can afford, that usually means that they are on the bottom of the rental ladder....
What an Exercise!
At Tuesday evening’s Straight Talk SC: Can’t Win for Losing sponsored by the Riley Institute and the Osher Life Long Learning Institute at Furman University, Dr. Kyle Longest led a powerful discussion about how...
This house is currently on the poverty tour. If you look closely, you will see the letter D spray painted in two different places. This means that the house will be demolished. This is...
Changing the World
John-Paul Flintoff, author of How to Change the World, was interviewed in the March/April 2013 issue of The Optimist. He had been active in world changing organizations such as Greenpeace and Friends of the...
Happy Endings
My husband loves to go to the grocery store. I do not. However, my husband worked it out with the store manager that I can take as many magazines from the shelves as I...
Synchronicity
I am a great believer in the idea that when the time is right for something to happen, things fall into place. For me as a faithful Christian, I believe this meets the ideas...
Charity and Justice
William Sloane Coffin, noted activist minister now deceased, said, “Had I but one wish for all the churches of America today, I think it would be that they come to see the difference between...
Moving Involuntarily
When families must move involuntarily, all kinds of issues happen, especially when compared with families who moved voluntarily in the previous year. Families may be forced to move for a variety of reasons. There...
A compassionate and caring solution for a Tent City
How Do We Deal with a Tent City? People have been living under the Pete Hollis Bridge since it was completed. Providers of services for homeless people knew people were living there and often...
One Another
Have you ever thought about how many “one another” statements there are in the Bible? It seems that we are to be involved with each other. We can’t just live our lives for ourselves....
Is It Really Doing Good?
There’s a movement happening around the country where workers give up their lunch hour to serve meals to poor and homeless people. The group either prepares the meal themselves or they purchase the food...
Guest appearance for Angelika’s Journal
Tonight, June 24, I’m on Niteline on WGGS-TV to talk about Angelika’s Journal. The book deals with many issues that children who live in poverty face: housing instability and constant moving, lack of access...
Rag Doll
Years ago I worked with a woman who was diagnosed with a mental illness. I lost contact with her when she moved to another state. However, she left this poem: Father, why do I...
Vacation Time
What plans do you have for this summer? Will you go to the beach? The mountains? Maybe you’ll just go to a nearby park and have a picnic and lounge around outdoors? If you...
Create a good rather than eliminate an evil
Try to create a good rather than eliminate an evil. When we try to do something good, we often discover that we have unintended consequences. In our efforts to do good, we create a...
Vista House Visit
Tonight I will meet with Furman University students who are living this summer in intentional Christian community at Vista House. I always enjoy my time with these students, even though the group changes yearly....
Pentecost
Yesterday was Pentecost Sunday and I was privileged to preach at Pickens Presbyterian Church. Many of the worshippers wore red. The children began the service by walking in waving sticks with red and orange...