Ken Frantz

It is the time of year when resolutions are freely tossed about, more as conversation starters than commitments to the coming year. They often fall in the categories of would'a should'a could‘a or the like, a reflection of the struggles of the previous year. The problem with resolutions is that they have a lot of bark but little bite. We are our own judges

Are you a rule maker or rule breaker? Are you someone who sets the stage or builds it? Do you ask why instead of why not? All the above can serve as answers to any of the questions. There is lots of leeway. Most everyone is allowed to draw their own conclusions until they tender ill will into the equation. They might not get kicked out of the treehouse for insolent answers, but they shouldn't expect the rope ladder to be deployed either.

It was one of my better wry smiles, you know, the kind that borders on smugness with a light dose of told-you so. It arrived via my granddaughter who was helping her father fasten together some wooden playground components. As she hefted the hammer to take a swing, my father's voice came rushing across time, “Remember, let the hammer do the work.” It was p

An interesting read this week (with the help of AI) distinguished between situational and operational awareness. “Operational awareness is the ability to perceive, understand, and anticipate the status of processes, resources, and risks in real time, enabling informed decision-making and effective team coordination.” (co-pilot).

Finding common ground is overrated. It used to represent the best of what could be drawn from mostly diverse inputs. The fallacy of win/win remains strongly anchored in our desire to find perfect solutions to problems that face us, often structured in ways that allow us to claim selfish victories that are clearly in favor of one party or the other. What we ought to seek instead are optimal outcomes. The process is fraught with deceptions, small maneuvers that enhance our bargaining power. The process is similar in nature to mediation where the hardest work can be agreeing together with intent to resolve issues of concern. Mandated mediation is legally ordered under certain circumstances, but its true definition suggests “if it aint voluntary, it aint mediation.” If you prefer laying out the facts with surety and confidence, and letting a third party decide based on hearings, then arbitration could be in order.

How does our moral compass come into focus? Is it time driven, an adolescence that must be tolerated and endured until we have it figured out? Would it be helpful to hand out certificates worthy of framing stating we are finally and morally accomplished enough to venture forth in public? And what of imposing a continuing education requirement that must be

Some have said that the art of greeting one another has become endangered. A quick review of the state of ‘hello' largely confirms those suspicions. And let's face it, it's part of our independent nature whether or not to greet others on our terms.

We've all caught glimpses of something special which whet our appetite for experiencing more… fragments of conversation, movements out of the corner of our eye, hints of an alluring fragrance, or a teasing new flavor on our palate. Still, we frequently remain unaware, dulled by the ordinary rhythms of our lives and desensitized to stimuli that provoke significant life change. The Apostle Paul recognized this in noting, “Make sure that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing!” (Romans 13:11-12, The Message). For most, being jolted from our slumber usually takes something of great magnitude or import. Attuning ourselves to more subtle indicators requires discipline and practice, activities often incongruent with today's culture.

Volunteerism that is filled with purpose and meaningful encounters changes people. In retrieving an ethos of mutual aid, we adapt our understandings, refining them in new ways for an ever-changing vision and redeployment in the relevant near future. ‘Becoming better stewards' is more than a motto. It is another way of living that shifts priorities while building community.

The rhubarb wars have commenced once again. Decades of infighting among countless varieties have taken a toll. There is no single cultivar (cultivated variety) that can vanquish across time much to the frustration of growers.