Let’s take a break from the Corona craziness and do some movie theology! My kids love Frozen, so when Frozen 2 came out, it was a huge deal.  There’s a lot to love:  super powers, friendship, singing, a talking snowman, etc.  Isaac is currently obsessed with the Frozen 2 soundtrack. As a former English teacher and now pastor, I can’t help but want to analyze the themes a bit.   In Frozen 2, Elsa, one of the two heroes, … Read More

Iris, my youngest, is obsessed with trains.  She wants to see them, talk about them, and most of all, read “choo choo books.” Naturally, then, we’ve read various Thomas the Trainstories innumerable times.  If you’ve somehow never encountered Thomas, he is a blue, anthropomorphic engine that lives in the imaginary island of Sodor.  He and his friends work for Sir Topham Hat, and their main concern in life is being “really useful engines.”   In one of the stories, an … Read More

Let’s face it, there’s some tough material in the Bible.  It’s hard for adults, and even harder sometimes for kids.   The other night I read the story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac to my five-year-old, who is also named Isaac.  He called me back into his room afterwards crying.  He had a hard time getting it out, but the obvious concern in his little mind was how could God ask this dad to kill his child? Moreover, what were the implications … Read More

There is an old saying that familiarity breeds contempt. Jesus said it this way, “A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.” (Mark 6:4) People who spend a lot of time around you are less likely to think you’re a superhero.  They’ll see not only the good stuff, but all your mistakes. The closer we are to something the more it loses its mystery.  Sometimes … Read More

One of the more difficult passages of scripture in the Bible is 2 Corinthians 12:1-10.  In this passage, Paul seems to indicate that he was taken into heaven and shown revelations that it’s not lawful for him to even talk about. He goes on to link these revelations with what he calls a “thorn in his flesh.” The debate over what this “thorn” is and why it’s there is intense.  It comes down to basically 2 … Read More