A couple of years ago I attended a panel on civil rights and fair housing issues. One panelist (“Panelist A”) was adamant that the only way to reparation and repentance would come through one-on-one conversations. It needs to start at home. At work. With our children and with our neighbors. It’s a grass roots movement that requires discernment, communion, and conversation. While Panelist A was imparting this, Panelist B – a civil rights attorney and friend of mine – could be seen rolling his eyes and fidgeting in his chair. When Panelist B took the podium, it became clear that his opinion was different. He intimated that the only way to bring about REAL change is through legislation and especially litigation. When left to our own devices we humans are all too comfortable with the status quo and will only change when we are forced to change. I admire the

Can you really be sorry for something you’ve done, if you won’t take responsibility for repairing –or at least trying to repair–the damage? Think about a person who’s done something to hurt you –something pretty significant.  If you tell them what you need from them to repair the harm they’ve caused, and they ignore your response, are they really sorry? Or, maybe they acknowledge your words, but make no good faith effort to do anything. Or, what if they forget what you asked them to do?—forget that you even ever asked: Are they really sorry? What happens if, at least periodically, they wring their hands and tell you that what they really, deeply want is reconciliation; and why-oh-why can’t you just forgive them? And then, as you hold the boundary on what you’ve asked for, this person starts to tell you and anyone else who will listen that the real

Today, March 17, the IRS is releasing billions of dollars in stimulus money that will appear in bank accounts of American households.  I checked this morning and ours is already there.  That was fast.  This will be a lifeline for many who are out of work or behind on bills or have always struggled to keep up with basic living costs, or all of the above.  The flood of cash will no doubt stimulate the economy.  For those of us in a more stable economic situation, perhaps it can also stimulate generosity.  Perhaps this giving takes the form of a stimulus tithe (10%), a nice round number ($100 or $1000), or giving the whole thing away.  Since children add to stimulus checks perhaps it’s a good opportunity for parents to ask their children where they’d like to direct the giving connected to that portion.  Of the many excellent places to

I often hear comments along these lines, “I bet you meet all kinds in your line of business.” Here is the story of the only time that I have ever “fired” a client. In 2016 someone called the CMC office and asked if there happened to be a Mennonite REALTOR® in the congregation. Gwen or Mim gave them my number. When I got the phone call, the voice on the other end told me that they were looking to build a house, “on ten acres, in a Mennonite community, and preferably in Bexley.” They were not Mennonite, but knew that we were “good people.” I, like you, thought this was a joke, but they had a $700,000 budget and the commission on that transaction would be more than I had made in some years. After having a couple of interactions, they realized that these requirements were…unrealistic. I found them to