James P Krehbiel

What Do I Know For Sure Anyway?

The older I get, the less I seem to know for sure. It's not that I lack wisdom, but life is not a clear-cut, fixed matter, but an ever-changing, fluid experience. Each moment is new and is filled with the wonder and mystery of the unknown. As a child, life appeared certain. I lived in a comfort zone which protected me from the reality of a world complete with ambiguity, paradox and difficult challenges. As I became older... (posted by James P Krehbiel 3 years 61 days ago.)

The Wages of War

Monday night, February 4 th , President George W. Bush delivered his State of the Union message. In his address, he urged Congress to "improve the system of care for our wounded warriors and help them build their lives of hope and promise and dignity." As the President was pontificating about solving a problem he helped create, my wife and I received a call from Mike. The sadness in his voice was unmistakable. Mike had received a... (posted by James P Krehbiel 3 years 362 days ago.)

The Myth of Moral Superiority

Psychotherapist, Sheldon B. Kopp very astutely stated, "No one is any stronger or any weaker than anyone else; everyone is in his own way, vulnerable." M. Scott Peck, renowned author, expressed it another way. In his concluding remarks during a presentation he said, "I'm not okay, you're not okay, but it's okay." As I ponder the power of these insights, I am continuously reminded to show humility toward those who feel less... (posted by James P Krehbiel 4 years 10 days ago.)

How to Respond to Tragedy

Rabbi Harold Kushner, the author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People , wrote about his response to personal tragedy. His son Aaron had premature aging, and eventually died from this disease. The pain from the Rabbi's loss provoked a crisis of faith. Kushner wrote his book for those "who have been hurt by life," to assist them in finding a faith that provides reasonable answers to aid them in coping with their suffering.... (posted by James P Krehbiel 4 years 44 days ago.)

How To Handle the Holiday Blues

My wife and I were standing outside a jewelry store the day after Halloween when we began to hear the "sounds of Christmas." We looked at each other with amazement as Christmas began to permeate the air of the mall parking lot. Each year it appears that the winter holidays arrive earlier than the year before, making it more difficult for many to avoid the holiday blues. The extension of the holidays has become an issue of... (posted by James P Krehbiel 4 years 55 days ago.)

Leaving Behind the Magical Illusions of Childhood

As children, we believe that we have the magical powers to change all that is wrong with our world. We need to believe that we can control our destiny in order to emotionally survive. For example, we may have been raised by parents who were emotionally unavailable. They lacked the capacity to be nurturing, supportive and affirming. As a way of coping, we "performed to please," trying every means in our... (posted by James P Krehbiel 4 years 65 days ago.)