What's Tony Thinking

Giving Thanks When It Ain’t Easy

November 27, 2024 — One of my favorite hymns is, “Now Thank We All Our God.” I love the words, the tune and the sound of great organ in the midst of a singing congregation. “Now Thank We All Our God,” was written in 1636 by the Lutheran pastor, Martin Rinkart. Rinkart served the church in the walled city... Read More

Who Would Vote for Donald Trump?

November 25, 2024 — You may be done with election post-mortems, but one came to my attention recently that I want to share and to comment on. It was written by a progressive Christian minister, Phillip Gulley, who says he “has been asked the question ‘Who Would Vote for Donald Trump?’ literally hundreds of times” and so offered his... Read More

Last Things

November 22, 2024 — As I mentioned in a blog earlier in the week about the coming Advent season, the medieval church had a different set of themes for the four Sundays of Advent than the contemporary church. These days the four Sundays are themed “hope,” “peace,” “joy,” and “love.” I’m not sure who decided this. Maybe Hallmark? In... Read More

Look Out Above

November 19, 2024 — We talk about American society, politics and culture, in terms of a left-right polarity. Do you live in a blue state or a red one? Are you a liberal or a conservative? Do you lean left on this issue or right? Is FDR in your political pantheon or is it Ronald Reagan? But maybe that... Read More

Looking Ahead . . .

November 17, 2024 — I know, in the age of “mindfulness,” we’re not supposed to be looking ahead, right?. “Be here now.” Such is the mantra of the mindful. (I do like this one from Wisdom of Jewish Buddhist, “Be here now — your luggage is another story.”) But some amount of “looking ahead” is unavoidable in life and... Read More

At Week’s End

November 14, 2024 — If you happen to be in Seattle you might enjoy swinging by Carkeek Park (north Seattle) to see the spawning salmon. I was up there the other day and was stunned by what I saw. This run is the largest number of fish I’ve ever observed during the fall spawning season. The fish are Chum... Read More

The Curious Possibility

November 12, 2024 — I have a friend who has a tagline on every email inviting curiosity. “Be curious,” it says. Others counsel, “Approach the world with a deep curiosity.” It sounds quite Zen. I, for one, need that reminder. “Be curious” is also a frequent admonition heard these days about how to handle stressful inter-personal relations at work... Read More

As the Dust Settles

November 9, 2024 — Whoo-hoo! Marie Gluesenkamp Perez won. She defeated a super-MAGA guy, Joe Kent, for the second time. No small feat as her district in southwest Washington State is pretty red. She ran 7% points ahead of Kamala Harris there. Which makes me think of the guy I met when canvassing for MGP last weekend. He was... Read More

Okay Then

November 6, 2024 — Well, it looks like I better stay out of the prediction business! I know that many of you, dear readers, are nearly overwhelmed with anger, hurt, bewilderment, grief and fear. I get that and share some of it. But I’m not quite there. I would describe myself as “disappointed, but not surprised.” Check that —... Read More

An Election Eve Prayer and A Prediction

November 4, 2024 — I spent Saturday in Battle Ground, Washington, which is just north of Vancouver, canvassing for Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, the incumbent member of Congress from our state’s 3rd legislature district. She’s in a tough race against full-MAGA Joe Kent, whom she narrowly defeated in 2022. I saw quite a few Trump signs and banners there in... Read More

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