Dave’s Valley Views: This is the week of the Wallowa County Fair!
This is the week of the Wallowa County Fair! Ah yes, the days of swine and noses! It’s the first fair week in years that we haven’t been nagging our daughter to work with her animal in preparation for showmanship. It really was a lesson of life. Feed, water, groom and then sell to the highest bidder. (And if it was a stubborn animal – rejoicing at its demise!) Read more
Dave’s Valley Views: Rites, rituals, and ceremonies have an importance to life
By Dave Bruce, Pastor
Enterprise Christian Church
This week I’m driving to Gallatin Gateway, Montana to do a wedding. Julie Vernarsky is getting married and she has honored me by asking to perform the ceremony. It’s a long drive – and I am very thankful that she moved the wedding date from January 15 to July 31! Read more
Relative Morality or Revealed Morality?
In the Old Testament book of Judges there is a haunting refrain: “Everyone did right in his own eyes.” (NIV: “Everyone did as he saw fit.”) The phrase summarizes the fact that Israel would not keep under the authority of God, but wandered from God’s directives to do what they thought was right. Read more
“Sorry, I was wrong!”
Years ago I enjoyed watching Happy Days. Richie, Potsie, and Arthur Fonzarelli brought a bit of joy to my life. ‘The Fonz’ was cool. He could snap his fingers and girls would fall at his feet. He wore a leather jacket and his appearance made average males quiver with fear. He could hit the juke box at just the right spot and get the record to play without having to pay a dime. He also could not say “I was wrong.” There were some great moments when The Fonz would contort his face and his mouth would pucker around the words that he just could not state: “I was wrong.” Read more
We Didn’t Learn from Y2K!
I remember it well. We were switching our calendars from 1999 to 2000 and the world was predicted to be stalled out in the largest computer quagmire ever! (Didn’t happen.) Read more
Santas from Around the World
Melody and I own an extensive collection of figures created by Pipka Ulvilden. It is a collection of “Santas from Around the World.” I love the various traditions of Santa – Father Christmas – Saint Nicholas, etc. Most of the traditions are far removed from the general “North American Santa.” Read more
I’m not a fan of the New York Yankees.
Oh, I admire their heritage of winning, but I love to root against them. Why? Easy . . . I am one of ‘those fans’ that don’t like the fact that the Yankees buy their championships. Oh I know that money can’t buy championships – the players still have to win championships on the field – but when you can buy the highest percentage of the ‘best of the best’ you can increase your odds of winning dramatically. Read more
An Exclusive Inclusivity?
I appreciate the bumper sticker that proclaims “COEXIST” by showing the various symbols of different religious beliefs. I DO BELIEVE that people of all faiths should be able to co-exist. However, I DO NOT BELIEVE in the faulty thinking of those who hold that ‘one religion is as good as another.” 2 + 2 = 4. If I wanted to believe that 2 + 3 also equals truth I would be in error. Read more
“GriefWorks”
I was in my first ministry when I realized that my college and seminary training had not prepared me adequately for ministry to those who grieve. I had been taught to read some scripture, read the obituary, preach a sermon, say a prayer, and participate in the funeral dinner. Read more
