In a 2023 Penn, I wrote, “We need to understand that MAID is not assisted suicide. Suicide is taking one’s own life, but MAID is asking the state to take it for you. I wonder how long it will be before the state won’t wait to be asked.” I guess I don’t have to wonder…

I used to say if I didn’t like the weather forecast, I would just keep changing radio stations until I found a forecast I liked. Now I just check various weather apps on my phone until I find the one that suits me. I understand why different weather apps might disagree on what the weather…

If you haven’t heard, the trip that Greg Drost and I had planned to visit the Wesleyan Church in Bangladesh next week has been cancelled, or at least postponed. Almost two weeks ago, our team had a video meeting with our host from Bangladesh, and he recommended that we delay our trip, for a couple…

I had my morning all planned. I was going to get a haircut, but when I called the barbershop, my barber wasn’t working. It was a beautiful day, so I thought, I will get my car washed, but when I pulled up to the car wash, it wasn’t working. Then I dropped into my pharmacy…

I love a good tiddle, or as you might know it, a serif. It’s that little decorative piece that is a part of some fonts and typefaces. The most common is Times New Roman, and it was the default on Microsoft Word, for as long as I can remember. And then it changed. In 2007,…

If you are going to start a sermon series on being human, then it would be best to start at the beginning. And the first words of the Bible are found in Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God . . .And that’s where I want to begin this morning. In the beginning. With God.Now, I…

This will be my last Christmas Penn for a while. I promise. This year seems to be the year for public criticism of the family Christmas photos posted by public figures. The president and first lady were criticized for looking too stern in their official portrait. And to be fair, all they were missing was…

So, did you get what you wanted for Christmas? Were all your wishes fulfilled? Were you ecstatic or disappointed on Christmas morning? Maybe a little bit of both. I know how you feel, for the sixth year in a row I didn’t have a new BMW convertible in my driveway. Actually, for the sixtieth year…

I’ve been doing it for the past 14 years, so it must be a Christmas tradition.  In 2011, I decided I should give something back at Christmas. Something that wouldn’t benefit me or Cornerstone. So, I bought a Santa hat and signed up to tend a kettle for the Salvation Army. I know that technically…

I am a Leonard Cohen fan, and like many of his fans, I love the haunting melody and angst-ridden lyrics of his iconic Hallelujah. But for the love of all that is holy, I wish people would stop including it on Christmas playlists. The song has nothing to do with Christmas and realistically has very…