Charlie's Journey's Journal

When I took a computer class in college the highlight of the course was getting to actually see the computer – which was housed in a room by itself.  During the semester I also remember seeing a smaller piece of equipment (I think they called it a “personal computer” because of it its size), but  I didn’t pay too much attention to it because, after all, if it took a computer the size of a classroom to do simple accounting processes what could that dinky thing do?  That was circa 1980 ... it is incredible how things have changed! Often, when we discuss computers and spirituality, we tend to focus on pornography, but that’s not the direction I want to take this discussion.   Computers – complete with the development of the internet and the prevalence of social media – impact our mind and our spirit just about every day.   In light of this, I want to provide a few suggestions for keeping us spiritually safe in the modern technological world. 1.   Don’t take to heart everything we se

I don’t think that June is as much of the wedding month that is was in days gone by, but whenever I think of June I think about weddings.  While weddings are important in our culture, there is something even more important – the years that follow the ceremony.  It is great to have a wedding that goes off without a hitch, bur the greater goal is a good marriage. What does it take to have a lasting marriage: 1.   Commitment .   One of the first things I tell couples who want me to do their wedding is to plan for something going wrong during the ceremony.   I don’t intend to be a pessimist, I just don’t want people to place too much emphasis on the “perfect wedding”.   Something will happen and we get through it.   This is a good observation about the marriage, too.   There is no such thing as a perfect marriage – something is going to happen – so deal with issues and move on.   Problems can be expected throughout the decades of the marriage, the key is being committed to each othe

One of the neat things about living in this part of the county is the presence of memorials.  Whether they are  the local monuments or the national memorials in and around the District of Columbia we are surrounded by reminders of where we have been as a nation.  No, not all the remembrances reflect our history in a positive light, but they do represent our nation’s journey. Memorials are important to humans – especially to God’s people.   Throughout the Old Testament the Israelites were continually erecting monuments and memorials, but something came along with God’s new covenant that is a lasting reminder.   When the Apostle Paul taught about what has become known as the Lord’s Supper he reflected back on a very important moment in the life of Jesus by recalling,   For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;     and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said,  “This is My body, which