I was ten years old living on Flathead Lake in Montana when our family purchased our first dog. He came with a pedigree and had a royal sounding name–Count Tour Zoom Saber Jet Ryder. That was a long name for a dog. We called him “Zoom.” I can still remember calling out to him…”Here Zoom, [...]
Until today, I considered myself an active, engaged, still-working Boomer–enthusiastically involved in ministry with my peers. That was until today when they moved the line. I am now in a separated group called “age 65 and older.” Our federal and state governments are expecting those born before the year 1956 to stay home. Get out [...]
written by Richard Bergstrom, D.Min., President, ChurchHealth *Published on March 4, 2020 - prior to the wave of church closures. You heard me right. I’m thinking about giving up church for Lent. Last year I attended a church that placed a high priority on all the disciplines associated with Lent Season, beginning on Ash Wednesday and [...]
Everything they touched had a story. A necklace from the loves of their lives; a vase that belonged to a mother or aunt; a photo of past generations or families celebrating at long dining tables; dead rose petals from a funeral spray; birthday cards yellowed with age. Each item evoked a memory, resurrected a loved [...]
Written by Richard Bergstrom, January 10, 2020 During these long winter evenings, Leona and I have been watching the NETFLIX series "The Crown." In Season 3 Episode 5, Princess Alice of Battenberg, the mother of Prince Philip and mother-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II, is visiting with her brother Louis Mountbatten, the uncle of Prince Philip [...]
Since obtaining my first set of glitter glasses in the fourth grade, I have been dependent on refracted glass to help me see. It is amazing what these lenses have done to improve my life. I went from detecting green blurs to actually distinguishing individual leaves on the trees! For years, through the marvel of [...]
Many of our friends and family are considering what it means to downsize, or as some call it, "right-sizing." The whole process unearths deep feelings, longings, regrets, memories, and usually, a few arguments. It isn't easy reducing the amounts of our material goods. And sometimes, it is just plain hard to let go. Some time ago [...]
It was an ordinary day. He was working; just doing his job. Consistent. Faithful. Acquiescent. He knew he could pay the bills, keep the kids fed and clothed, and be assured his wife (and her father) were satisfied. It was a good life, not what he expected, but good. And it was simple. Even though [...]
In our book, Third Calling: What are you doing the rest of your life?, we propose long life is a gift from God - to be stewarded with wisdom and imagination. We discussed this concept with one of our always-very-spiritual friends. Here's what she said: I don’t really think long life is all you’ve cracked it [...]
Earlier this month we paused to celebrate Labor Day in the United States. The holiday was established in the 19thcentury to honor American workers and recognize the problem of long working hours with no time off. Presently, while there are no specific prescribed rituals or traditions around Labor Day, Americans typically take a break to [...]
