Sean Dietrich

Sean Dietrich

Columnist

Sean is a writer for The Observer

Sean Dietrich's Latest

Altar Call | Precious Lord, use my hands

Altar Call | Precious Lord, use my hands

BY WALT ALBRITTON OPINION — The word “hand” can be found 1500 times in the Bible. When Cain killed Abel, the ground opened to receive Abel’s blood “from the hand” of his brother.Moses took the staff of God in his hand. When Moses’ hands grew tired,...

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Sean of the South | Fourth of July

Sean of the South | Fourth of July

BY SEAN DIETRICH OPINION — On my kitchen counter is a pound cake, sitting on a pedestal, beneath a glass dome.Pound cake is the food of summer. It can make or break the entire season. A summer without pound cake is like church without singing,...

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Sean of the South | Fourth of July

Sean of the South | The Tomato Elegy

BY SEAN DIETRICH OPINION — Thank you for the care package, Miss Paula. Thank you for the cute basket of homemade jams with handwritten labels. Do you know how long it’s been since I had mayhaw jelly? A long time.But most importantly, thank you for...

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Altar Call | Precious Lord, use my hands

Altar Call | A servant’s heart

BY WALT ALBRITTON OPINION — Jesus told how the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and anointed him to preach. I remember when the same thing happened to me.During my senior year in Wetumpka High School, I helped to arrange a youth revival that was...

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Sean of the South | Fourth of July

Sean of the South | The argument I had in the supe …

OPINION — BY SEAN DIETRICH I got into an argument at the supermarket. This is how volatile our world is right now. It was in the checkout line. My opponent was not only clueless, but pigheaded, refusing all logic. The fact that my opponent is only...

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Altar Call | Precious Lord, use my hands

Altar Call | Sitting under oak trees

BY WALT ALBRITTON OPINION — I enjoy staying busy, but over the years I have had to turn off the engine and allow my soul to catch up with my body. And many times, I found that a walk in the woods was a good remedy for exhaustion.Though I can no...

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Sean of the South | Fourth of July

Sean of the South | Vacation Bible Kids

BY SEAN DIETRICH OPINION — “Dear Sean,” the email began. “I teach vacation Bible school… Last year we had three Latino children whose parents are undocumented immigrants…“Church leadership felt it best not to allow these children to attend VBS this...

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Altar Call | Precious Lord, use my hands

Altar Call | Surprised by Worship

OPINION — It is morning again. I am dragging, as usual. I understand why. Fatigue is the primary side effect of my chemotherapy medicine. Weakness is a small price to pay for the way this drug has stopped my cancer from growing. After two years in...

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Altar Call | Little things that bless people

Altar Call | Little things that bless people

BY WALT ALBRITTON OPINION — In recent years we have become aware of the phrase, “little acts of kindness.” This awesome idea has caused many of us to show others acts of kindness in small ways.Two examples come to mind: First, you are in line at...

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Sean of the South | Fourth of July

Sean of the South | It's OK - I think

BY SEAN DIETRICH From June 1, 2024 OPINION — Today I read an article my friend sent to me. The article was something that went viral on social media. When I finished reading it, I felt so bad that I had to take some Pepto-Bismol and lie down.It was...

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Altar Call | Little things that bless people

Alter Call | I am in Him, and He is in me

OPINION — When I decided as a teenager to live for Jesus, I had no idea how frustrating that would be. My struggle to live “like Jesus” met with disappointment at every hand. It began to seem foolish to think that I could imitate Jesus in all my...

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Sean of the South | Fourth of July

Sean of the South | Chaplains on the wall

From July 7, 2024OPINION — It was a weekend. A lot of people were there. And by “a lot,” I mean folks were standing two or three deep.It’s one of the most popular sites in D.C. Maybe the hottest spot in the whole town period. The tourist magazines...

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Altar Call | Little things that bless people

Altar Call | The talking donkey [part 2]

OPINION — There is more to the story of Balaam in the Bible that the amusing account of his talking donkey. Balaam is mentioned in five books of the Old Testament: Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Micah and Nehemiah. And Balaam’s name is found three...

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Sean of the South | Fourth of July

Sean of the South | The modern American teacher

BY SEAN DIETRICH OPINION — She shall remain anonymous.Her classroom was out of control. Had been for a while. The kids in her “at-risk” fourth-grade class were about as organized as a prison riot.That’s what we call them in today’s world. “At-risk...

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Altar Call | Little things that bless people

An Altar Call | The talking donkey, part one

BY WALT ALBRITTON OPINION — Three chapters in the Book of Numbers are devoted to a man named Balaam and his talking donkey. As I read again the story, I was arrested by the idea that Balaam could not see what his donkey saw — an angel with a drawn...

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Sean of the South | Fourth of July

Sean of the South | A Jigsaw Mother’s Day

OPINION —  From May 2022 I bought a jigsaw puzzle at the grocery store today. The box features an ornate cathedral with red roses and blossoming foliage. The cathedral is in Germany. The puzzle cost two bucks. My mother and I used to do jigsaw...

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Altar Call | Precious Lord, use my hands

Altar Call | You can wear a morning face

BY WALT ALBRITTON OPINION — I dearly love the song, “Precious Memories.” The one line that continually bubbles up in my mind is the song’s basic theme: “Precious memories, how they linger, how they ever flood my soul.”Ah yes, they do so linger....

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Sean of the South | Fourth of July

Sean of the South | Dumpling

BY SEAN DIETRICH OPINION — I’m 5 years old. On Mama’s stove is a steaming stock pot, filling the world with the essence of chicken and dumplings.I’m watching her use her fists to mercilessly beat a lump of flour that will become dumplings. She...

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Altar Call | Precious Lord, use my hands

Altar Call | Planting alleluias in a child’s hea …

BY WALT ALBRITTON A friend of mine introduced me to the “Greenless Child,” an intriguing poem written by Ann Weems. My friend often quoted the poem as she shared her faith with others. Perhaps it will touch your heart as it did mine:I watched her...

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