Random Thoughts Archive – Bill Kemp's Box Cutting Blog

Smart Goals, not me!

August 18, 2026

The church committee I am on got talking about SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time sensitive) and I said, “I don’t believe in them.”

Seeing Mary Magdalene

March 31, 2026

My Lent has been blessed this year by an online art exhibit at Vanderbilt’s lectionary site: https://exhibitions.library.vanderbilt.edu/different-eyes/ In my Bethany’s People books, I follow the

Defining citizenship

February 10, 2026

I grew up when citizenship was still taught in public schools, and I learned it meant guarding the peace and security of my neighborhood against

ICE & Abraham

January 31, 2026

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah gets preached a lot in conservative churches (Genesis 18 & 19). The MAGA movement often proclaims that the libs

Juggling Sainthood

December 31, 2025

All who are on the path towards God’s holiness are saints. Doesn’t matter if you are just beginning your faith journey, were raised by Wiccans,

I rarely weep at movies.

December 16, 2025

Spoiler alert: there is a scene in the movie Hamnet which I found transformative. The entire first half of the movie is intimate, small groups,

Where’s the next Rocky?

December 11, 2025

Rockefeller was a good Republican who pinch-hit and won the game during the last time that a defective president plunged America into darkness. I was

Empathy Part III: Shame and Empathy

September 23, 2025

Every action that Jesus took was rooted in empathy. So much was this the case that in Matthew 25:31-46, he promises to remain in the

A little thing in 1938

July 26, 2025

In October 1938, Polish Jews who had immigrated into Germany were rounded up and deported back to Poland. The Polish government, being equally anti-Semitic, didn’t

I Samuel 8 will Preach

June 17, 2025

When the people came to Samuel and asked him to anoint for them a king, such as the other nations have, he repeated what God

Mental Health = Spiritual Health

May 28, 2025

I like this Thomas Moore quote: “The soul is a community of many interior persons, many of them capable leaders. The ego is only one

A Young Pope?

May 10, 2025

For the first time in my life, I can say the Pope is younger than me. I rejoiced when I discovered this. The reason for

David Brooks on Trump

April 1, 2025

On this April fools day, I thought I’d post something serious. This is a clip of David Brooks speaking at the recent annual conference of

A Sneak Peak

March 19, 2025

In my novel, “Martha Finds Rest,” I retell the story of the first Easter. When I get to the part where Jesus visits the upper

No Separate Peace

March 19, 2025

Wars don’t always begin with the firing of a gun. Sometimes they begin with a separate peace. Often what we do to preserve “normal” leads

Grant us…

March 13, 2025

Grant us the courage to resist evil. Teach us to forgive. As we pray for each other, Grant us peace and unity. Amen. I would

So now we stop supporting Ukraine?

March 2, 2025

Russian invaded Ukraine. Its people fought bravely for their freedom. They took the weapons and aid we gave them (without conditions) and surprised the world

How does one build?