Confession: The “deacon call list” has always caused me a bit of anxiety. You know, that list of church members a deacon calls during times of crisis or when the church is introducing new initiatives. I am perplexed by the anxiety. I’m a people person and I like to talk. Perhaps it is because the … Continue reading We need each other: The blessing of connections during the COVID-19 pandemic
Give New Orleans your prayers, not your pity
I don’t know exactly why USA Today’s article about New Orleans and the COVID-19 outbreak aggravated me so. You can read it for yourself here: “Death rate soars in New Orleans coronavirus 'disaster' that could define city for generations.” At first, I thought it was the tone. I read it again. The tone is serious … Continue reading Give New Orleans your prayers, not your pity
Have you seen Jazz?
Have you ever seen jazz? That’s right – “seen jazz.” Have you seen it played, experienced it in person. I know you have heard jazz – at the movies, on TV (The Charlie Brown Christmas Special), on the radio. But if you haven’t seen jazz played live, you only appreciate a fraction of its beauty … Continue reading Have you seen Jazz?
Mardi Gras in Black & White
Mardi Gras in New Orleans explodes with vivid colors and vibrant sounds. These sensory aspects are what most people associate with the parades ... and those are some of my favorite aspects as well. But Mardi Gras is also about community and people from various backgrounds coming together -- something that wasn't always the case. … Continue reading Mardi Gras in Black & White
A City with a Soundtrack
I heard music the very first moment I set foot in New Orleans. It was the breathy sound of a steam calliope atop a paddleboat on the Mississippi River. The sounds of the city (one that I would later call home) made a great first impression. New Orleans is a city with a soundtrack, and … Continue reading A City with a Soundtrack
NOLA, Don’t You Ever ‘Get Over It’
I can’t tell you how much I love New Orleans and its people. I love this city in an honest way. I am not blinded by infatuation, I know the problems and I have experienced those problems for the past 15 years. But a lot of good comes along with the bad. It hasn’t always … Continue reading NOLA, Don’t You Ever ‘Get Over It’
Falling in Love with My City … All Over Again
When I moved to New Orleans 15 years ago, I was enamored. The architecture, the music, the art, the culture, and the people inspired me. This young love for the city focused on the positives. Because I lived on the seminary campus, I had a safe place to retreat. I could enjoy the city with … Continue reading Falling in Love with My City … All Over Again
Gaining Clarity and Hope
In the raw pain of writing about CJ’s death a few weeks back (“The Death and Life of an Imagine-bearer”), I could not communicate all I wanted to say with clarity. Here is an attempt to connect the dots. This is an honest effort meant to address difficult issues of race and culture. Talk will … Continue reading Gaining Clarity and Hope
Lessons from a Car Burglar
Car burglaries are an urban reality. Just last week, using the daily crime report that I receive via email, I could track a criminal’s movement from the evening before as he went from address to address taking things from cars. In the 10 years I have lived at my current address, my car has been burglarized at … Continue reading Lessons from a Car Burglar
Death and Life of an Image-bearer
Will you weep with me over another life snuffed out too soon? It happens way too often in New Orleans. Over the past 15 years, I have heard countless news reports of young, black, teenagers shot to death on the streets of New Orleans. On some level, I have grieved over these deaths, but only … Continue reading Death and Life of an Image-bearer
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