Monthly Archives: May 2023

The Autonomy Trap: Part One

Posted on May 31, 2023 by nathanalbright

As someone who frequently ponders over what counts as a country and how it is that states exist, it is well worth examining the autonomy trap that nations fall into when it comes to dealing with separatist tendencies within their … Continue reading →

Posted in History, International Relations, Musings | Leave a comment

Restaurant Review: Shandiz Mediterranean Restaurant & Grill

Posted on May 30, 2023 by nathanalbright

This particular restaurant, in the far Southwest of Portland, with a Lake Oswego address, is by no means the most convenient restaurant to eat at. Frequently closed on Sundays, it happened to be open on Memorial Day with modified hours, … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Narrow Is The Way

Posted on May 29, 2023 by nathanalbright

When things are not as popular as they could be or are expected to be, there are a lot of questions that naturally result. Not everything is designed for a mass audience, and that is quite alright. When one is … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A Liturgical Interlude

Posted on May 28, 2023 by nathanalbright

Nearly two decades ago I found myself as an unusual student at a religious educational institution attending a discussion on the matter of liturgy. Both then and now this was a surprising and unusual interest and yet despite the fact … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Church of God, Musings | Tagged | Leave a comment

Pocketful of Sunshine

Posted on May 27, 2023 by nathanalbright

To those who are interested in quarreling, nearly any subject will do as far as the start of an argument. It is not uncommon in mixed company for me to hear complaints about the difference between pockets for men and … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Musings | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

That Power

Posted on May 26, 2023 by nathanalbright

What is the best way to keep and use one’s influence? I have spent a great deal of time recently reading about the troubles and travails of Disney, a company that was once a leader in family entertainment, and which … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Town & Country

Posted on May 25, 2023 by nathanalbright

What is the ideal relationship between cities and their hinterlands? Frequently, cities have often wished to dominate the spaces around them, given their higher population densities and the fact that not only people but also political and economic and cultural … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Musings | Tagged , | Leave a comment

And The Spirit And The Bride Say, Come

Posted on May 24, 2023 by nathanalbright

Earlier this evening, as I write this, I received a question from a friend of mine who belongs to a Church of God in her native New Zealand. She had an interaction with a couple of people who belong to … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Church of God, Love & Marriage | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Can’t Win Alone

Posted on May 23, 2023 by nathanalbright

I would like to take as my text the following message from a Sports Illustrated article: “76ers center Joel Embiid spoke to reporters in the aftermath of the team’s playoff exit on Sunday, and the league’s MVP appeared to have a message for … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Hips Don’t Lie

Posted on May 22, 2023 by nathanalbright

More than a decade ago, the Colombian singer Shakira had a massive hit with a song called “Hips Don’t Lie.” The premise of the song, to the extent that such a song needs a premise, is that the singer found … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Music History, Musings | Tagged , , | Leave a comment