By JIM NICHOLS Some of my old friends are “old” because our friendship has extended multiple years. Others are “old” because of their chronologic age. A few fit both categories. Regardless, I have found that old friends bring realities and truths to my life that are unique and important in my own growth. Sometimes confronting and sometimes uplifting, these friends

By JIM NICHOLS Each of us has events in our past that, in retrospect, have been pivotal in our development. Sometimes they are specific items or times; on other occasions, they are prolonged. One such in the latter category for me was the choice I made for some reason to take four years of Latin when I was in high

By JIM NICHOLS Occasionally, a question is asked whose answer is difficult. This is because there seem to be multiple facets that are conflicting. The consideration features a series of, “Yes, but . . . “statements. Sometimes we try to deal with it by asking related questions. If one enters Walmart or Starbucks, one clearly is a customer. However, if

By JIM NICHOLS There is something about modern America that has trapped us in unyielding competitiveness. In every aspect of our lives, it seems that we are in some way competing with one other. From childhood, this way of life has been embedded in us. There is more negative than positive to this, but there is at least one aspect

By JIM NICHOLS Bells chiming at the monastery identify the beginning of specific prayer times. Church bells in general are an auditory call to worship and attention to the gathering of God’s people. Have you ever considered how many bells we have heard in our lives and what they have meant? Today we are surrounded by bells or alarms. I

By JIM NICHOLS There are some teachings in the Bible, often straight from Jesus himself, that I do not like. The problem is that I am expecting God to make decisions and judgments that parallel those that I would make in a similar situation. I am using an incorrect starting point. Students complain. Not all of them complain and not

By JIM NICHOLS The devotional scripture for the morning was from Psalm 91. It read, “The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong; even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger? Your wrath is as great as

By JIM NICHOLS An elementary school principal told me about the most unusual phone call he had ever received. A father of students in his school asked his assistance in identifying a family with children in that same school. The request went something like this: Mr. Principal, our family recognizes that we have lots more physical things than some other

By JIM NICHOLS Do not laugh. It will happen to you someday if it has not already. It was some years ago now and the first was just a small white card with a red stripe and blue stripe across the top. It was rather thin cardboard and began to curl up on the edge soon because it did not