300 words a day

Learning About Justice

Rich Dixon is learning all the time. +++ Last time, we headed to Cincinnati to meet our team. When we arrived, a couple of things became apparent. This group of young folks was remarkably committed and gracious. We were clearly outliers. but they welcomed us with open arms. It was also clear I wouldn’t be […]

by Jon Swanson

Talking with God all there is to do.

I wrote this more than a decade ago. It seems helpful to consider again. +++ A friend and I were talking about the work we have to do. He walked to a whiteboard and listed some of the roles and commitments and challenges that he is facing. He said, “I can’t do all that.” I […]

by Jon Swanson

A thought for Easter Monday.

From Easter 2020. +++ I spent a lot of years on church staff. In truth, I didn’t like the Monday after Easter. It was the day we had to sort through and put away everything we’d dragged out and set up for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. And, in some churches, that was a lot […]

by Jon Swanson

A prayer for Easter Sunday

God. Happy Easter. We would sound more sincere, butwe are grumpy and scared and weary and sad. Some of us, anyway. We are like John, a little afraid to look in the tomb.We are like Peter, looking inside but then going back home and locking the door.We are like Mary, weeping and not seeing you […]

by Jon Swanson

Sitting next to a mom.

I sat in the hospital room. In front of me, a person in a bed. Around her, a loud, active crowd. Beside me, an intent mother. The crowd was doing everything they could think of to give life back to a lifeless body. Long before the doctor said to stop, most of us knew that […]