During my first year of medical school, an internal medicine specialist taught us how to perform a physical examination. We took turns examining one another while he watched and offered guidance. When he looked at the skin on my back, he stopped. “What’s this?” The other students gathered around me. I couldn’t see what they … Continue reading If It’s Blue, It Must Be Bad! (Proverbs 18:13)

During our first year of marriage, my wife and I were learning how to bring two different personalities into one home. There was laughter, closeness, and the occasional moment when one of us had to raise a delicate subject. One day, I thought I had found such a subject. “Honey, I really appreciate you doing … Continue reading You’re Running the Dryer Too Long! (Romans 12:18)

Through the years, I have interviewed many people for positions in my practice. Before meeting a candidate, I review the résumé and letters of recommendation. They help me decide whom to invite in, but they cannot tell me everything I need to know. An interview often tells me much more. I listen to the candidate’s … Continue reading The Real Interview (Matthew 18:32-35)

A friend from medical school became a respected pulmonologist in Los Angeles. He and his wife both grew up in Hawaii, and they still love the islands. So I once asked him whether he might move back someday. “No. I don’t want to go home.” I was surprised. “Why not?” “Here, people know me as … Continue reading I Don’t Want to Go Home (Mark 6:3-5)