Chaplain’s Corner

Confession #2: I haven’t seen my son in 6 months.   Last year, my son spent over 100 days in “Administrative Segregation” (aka solitary confinement, aka The Hole). This largely occurred through the months of December and January. Why was that? Because Punishment is a For-Profit Business in this country. As such, random Covid testing resumed at his facility just in time to reduce DOC staffing burdens during the 2023 holiday season. I said what I said. All other mandatory virus testing had ceased in our society by then (i.e., schools, hospitals, etc.), however, as a matter of business, the DOC held in… Read More »

Ernest Hemingway said, “Write hard and clear about what hurts.” This hurts. So, I’m writing.   I’m writing here and I’m writing at www.blacksheepmom.com. *The difference is the paid content and comment community here. The public blog posts will be posted to both pages so choose your level of engagement as you wish!     As I get underway, it should be clear: This space is bound to be more raw than the website. At times, it may contain strong words. It will likely evoke conflict, both within and amongst readers. No matter what happens here, I argue that this… Read More »

They come in the summer and leave in the winter- in need of men’s and women’s coats, gloves, hats and some warm  clothes! Time is a terrible thing to waste so let’s spend it reading!  In need of paperback books (clean please).  Suggestions:   John Grisham, James Patterson, Left Behind Series, Autobiographies) National Geographic is very popular! Coloring uplifts the heart!   In need of SHORT colored pencils, adult coloring books, drawing paper, golf pencils. Keeping in touch with family can be a life saver.  In need of postcards (pre-stamped and plain from the post office only) You can get this online… Read More »

“As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me.” Psalm 40:11, 12  Your Mercy will find me. He’s unrestrained. A person, a power, A force, not contained. Alive, not dead. You severed the leash When You opened the grave And Your Son was released To enter my heart And open my eyes And erase all my sins… Read More »

Have you ever considered what it must have been like to be a disciple of Christ the day after he was crucified, that lonely Saturday after Jesus breathed his last, his body broken and blood-soaked after hanging on a cross? On Good Friday some 2,000 years ago, our Lord was beaten and excoriated, the stress upon his mind and body so great that He exhibited two rare medical conditions: The water flowing from His side revealed hypovolemic shock and hematidrosis, showing that His body was under such extreme stress that capillaries under the skin burst and blood broke forth in… Read More »

He shuffled through the doorway, his visit proved a n unexpected one. I’m not sure how the boy surfaced at our house, but he was known to canvas the neighborhood in search of a playmate from time to time. However, he’d been missing lately. We noticed. My oldest son was similar in age, so it was natural to invite the young boy to our table. A few other children, cutout cookies, and sugary yuletide adornments waited. As the boy took his seat, our annual Christmas cookie decorating session officially began. Our young neighbor embraced the task at hand, unaware of… Read More »

Gifts for Kids (formerly, Gods Love Tree) is and extension of Keys to Freedom ministries aftercare programs.  Our goal is to make contact with the families of those in our local jails in an effort to provide a Christmas gift from them to their children.  This includes offering families an opportunity to come face to face with people who have the desire to make a compassionate connection that ideally will show them they are not alone in their journey!  For inmates wishing to be involved in the Keys to Freedom Gifts for Kids program, beginning in October, Keys to Freedom… Read More »

This is the Heart of our Mission! To Bind Up The Brokenhearted….From Ransomed Heart Ministries Daily Reading. Christ did not die for an idea. He died for a person, and that person is you. But there again, we have been led astray. Ask any number of people why Christ came, and you’ll receive any number of answers, but rarely the real one. “He came to bring world peace.” “He came to teach us the way of love.” “He came to die so that we might go to heaven.” “He came to bring economic justice.” On and on it goes, much… Read More »