By JIM NICHOLS I have some quirky friends and I suspect you have some too. “Quirky” is not a derogative word here; it just identifies that these people seem to think in different patterns than I do. When they come out with some statement that is unexpected, they often cause me to think, “She’s right. I had not thought of

By JIM NICHOLS Down the hall from my office right now is a colleague and young mother who, along with her husband, just completed the adoption of their third pre-school aged child. As expected, this process has been a complicated one. Because I know this woman and sense her skills and love, I do not doubt that this is a

By JIM NICHOLS For a biologist, one of the most rewarding aspects of the Bible is to find an illustration that fits our discipline of science. Clearly, the Bible is not a science book, but many of the images used have an obvious parallel. Written centuries ago, they are not sophisticated science, but are common language metaphors that make perfect

By JIM NICHOLS The local church I attend shares weekly Eucharist. The pattern, as in many churches, is to pass a communion plate containing bread and another container with individual plastic cups of wine/juice. With the onset of COVID, that pattern changed. Now, upon entering, each individual picks up a two-in-one item consisting of a small disposable cup of juice with

By JIM NICHOLS When I was a boy, I kept falling and skinning my knee or elbow. My mother would paint it with mercurochrome and put on a Band-aid. The goal was to kill potentially infectious bacteria and to cover the wound so it could heal rapidly. The Band-aid itself was a small white strip of flexible cloth backed by

By JIM NICHOLS It is not December and not close to Christmas, so why does this title have a seasonal ring to it? Even people who have only a passing knowledge of the Bible know a few of the most famous stories. One of those is the description of Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem and having difficulty finding a

By JIM NICHOLS When you are a little boy, there is hardly anything more impressive than a big boy. They look like a little boy, only they are strong and fast. They can be idolized as good athletes or even role models; they can also be terrifying. Once upon a time a little boy went on an errand with his

By JIM NICHOLS He was a contract worker for a company that was installing new water meters throughout the city. Working in our front yard on a near 100-degree day, he used an assortment of wrenches, other tools, and impressive physical strength to remove our current meter from under the ground and replace it with a newer electronic one. He

By JIM NICHOLS I am a baseball fan. I liked playing it when I was young and have followed any major league team close to where I lived and could get on the radio. That would include the Kansas City Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, and now the Texas Rangers. There are certain lyrical