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Field Notes

I’ve heard it said that the best musicians are those who must sing or must write music. I guess it follows that I write because I can’t not. It only recently dawned on me that my inner muse demands that I open up a notebook or my laptop to capture thoughts. Many are pure musings—slightly self-satisfying and frequently foisted on my wife for her reaction.

All said, perhaps some of the pieces below will contribute to your deeper insight or another way to think about the world. You will find published pieces interspersed with my own regular observations. Enjoy!

Latest Observation

{#41} Grounded

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With the seasons changing, I’m writing this in near-dark early one morning. My screen glows in my face—an otherworldly glow that illuminates my workspace. Out of habit, I unplugged my device right after I woke—we both should be fully charged. I’m awake and rested myself, yet I feel untethered—unsure about my own connection. How do I get there? How do I reach the same level of fully charged for the day ahead?

The Apostle Paul once urged that we be “rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians 3:17). He mixed his metaphors with purpose—roots sinking deep into soil, foundations fastened to bedrock. Stability. Nourishment. Strength. In another letter he urged believers to remain “stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel” (Colossians 1:23). To be grounded, Paul insists, is not optional.

Jesus said the same in simpler terms: “Abide in me, and I in you… for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:4–5). Disconnected, we wither. Abiding, we flourish. Made of glass and circuitry, my phone wouldn’t last more than 24 hours on its own. Can I?

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{#41} Grounded

{#41} Grounded

With the seasons changing, I’m writing this in near-dark early one morning. My screen glows in my face—an otherworldly glow that illuminates my workspace. Out of habit, I unplugged my device right after I woke—we both should be fully charged. I’m awake and rested myself, yet I feel untethered—unsure about my own connection. How do I get there? How do I reach the same level of fully charged for the day ahead?

The Apostle Paul once urged that we be “rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians 3:17). He mixed his metaphors with purpose—roots sinking deep into soil, foundations fastened to bedrock. Stability. Nourishment. Strength. In another letter he urged believers to remain “stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel” (Colossians 1:23). To be grounded, Paul insists, is not optional.

Jesus said the same in simpler terms: “Abide in me, and I in you… for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:4–5). Disconnected, we wither. Abiding, we flourish. Made of glass and circuitry, my phone wouldn’t last more than 24 hours on its own. Can I?

Other Articles

{#12} Orphaned

{#12} Orphaned

I didn’t see it coming – but then I did. The forgotten passwords. Her TV began to go on the blink intermittently, never an explanation....

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{#3} Woodman

{#3} Woodman

I was standing at the grave of Richard Ezra Rapp, my great-grandfather, on Memorial Day 2019 and struck by the inscription on the top of...

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