Author Archives: awtraughber

AI, Two Birds, One Stone

It’s unfortunate how deeply and how quickly AI has changed the landscape of teaching.  It’s easier to use and necessary to look for when interacting with student work.  And it’s something that we’re all still learning about but with hard … Continue reading

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Anselm on Teaching, Seeking, Desiring

We introduce Anselm and his version of the ontological argument for God’s existence relatively early in our junior Bible class.  Sometimes it clicks, sometimes it doesn’t; we consider it as much because it was the first of its kind as … Continue reading

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“The True Thing About Restaurants”

Hulu just dropped the fourth-season trailer for The Bear, the show that makes your blood pressure sky-rocket just by mentioning it.  As good as it was, I felt like the show’s third season was holding back a little bit, so … Continue reading

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Sunday’s Best: Asking, Seeking, Knocking

This morning’s Gospel reading includes one of those “tricky”passages from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount about prayer.  From biblegateway.com: 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. … Continue reading

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The Good Shepherd (and a quick word on 49)

This past Sunday, many churches celebrated Mother’s Day.  Other churches also commemorated “Good Shepherd Sunday,” which is celebrated every fourth Sunday of Easter.  The key text for the day is John 10, where Jesus says: 11 “I am the good shepherd. … Continue reading

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“Eyes Up Here”

So far, summer movie season has been something of a slow burn for me.  Thunderbolts* really was an enjoyable movie, was a perfect picture of an underdog story, really.  The tone and scope were right, the humor was well-balanced thanks … Continue reading

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“Where There’s a Will . . .”

We’re just over three months into the “Desert Fathers in a Year” series.  So far, my favorite saying comes from the section on hesychia, which relates to the idea of deep peace.  The saying comes from Abba Arsenius: Abba Mark … Continue reading

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Closer to Home

We’re getting closer to the July release of the new Superman movie.  The team behind the movie released an extended look at the movie that adds more to the Krypto “take me home” scene.  Krypto is definitely a dog . … Continue reading

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The End of Break (and a turn in the road)

And just like that, spring break has come to an end.  For all intents and purposes, the turn of the calendar from Saturday to Sunday brings with it a change in disposition, of direction, when conversations and thoughts turn in … Continue reading

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Just As I Am [March 21, 2025]

I have a bit of an odd relationship with breaks from school.  I love breaks as much as the next teacher, but from almost the beginning I have had difficulty being at ease with the time.  That’s part of why … Continue reading

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