Updated on February 14, 2020
For the love of directions
My husband did not fall in love with me for my sense of direction. Or my ability to read maps. This became apparent the first time he told me to go west when making a turn. Left and right are hard enough, but west? I am pretty sure that part of God’s plan in bringing us together was to ensure I didn’t spend my entire life lost. But even after all these years of making wrong turns, I’m still not great at asking for direction help. I like to think I can figure out which way to go. But I really can’t. Just ask anyone who’s ever traveled with me.
Updated on January 24, 2020
For when you don’t know what to do
Anyone remember these? I found this relic from ’90’s church camp when I was cleaning things out recently. WWJD – What Would Jesus Do? It was a phrase we teenagers were taught to think about whenever we had to make decisions in life. I am showing my age, I know. But, I’ll admit that I wore that bracelet way past the time when it was cool to do so. Because honestly, who doesn’t want to know the answer to this question? What would Jesus do?
Updated on January 10, 2020
What do you see?
He looks so little stumbling into the hallway with his blanket draped around him. “It’s happening again,” he cries. “Everything I see is zooming in and zooming out. Make it stop mom! Make it stop!” I’m still half asleep, foggy-eyed and glasses hunting. What in the world is he talking about? And seriously, will we ever outgrow middle of the night wake-ups?
Posted on January 3, 2020
Start with a word and a prayer
And so, it is time to start. January blows in with its cold rain and reminds us that time waits for no man. We are moved into the next season whether we like it or not. There are those of you who love this new place; embracing it with lists, goals and improvement plans. The unknown invigorates you. You own these new beginnings. And I always envy you.
Updated on December 20, 2019
Chasing the Joy
The joy candle is broken. You can see it up there in the picture. And I keep forgetting to buy a new one. As if a trip to the store could simply replace the broken joy. I believe it was a ball that someone threw or the after-dinner wrestling match that snapped the joy right in half. It doesn’t really matter how it happened; the joy is just barely holding it together.
Updated on December 13, 2019
A Word of Peace
We lit the second candle on the Advent wreath, the one that stands for peace, this past Sunday. And my little guy leaned over and whispered the same question he asks every year during Advent. “Hey, Mom?” he asks in that voice that boys use when they are trying to whisper, “Why do we light these same candles every year? What if the whole wreath just fell over and caught on fire? Isn’t it dangerous?” These are the thoughts of a ten-year-old boy. I am not even going to try and explain them.
Posted on December 6, 2019
The Music of Hope
This first week of Advent has blown through in a bit of a blur; the calendar pushing and pulling in all directions and filling the week of hope with distraction I keep trying to see through. But, last night, I sat, finally still and present in the moment in a sanctuary full of people and music, and I marveled at the way God had my attention. My wrestling match with hope subsided for a moment. And it all felt holy.
Updated on November 15, 2019
What if you could be the answer to someone’s prayer?
She did not know about my day. The burned waffles, the lost keys, the cranky teenagers, the hard discussions and the difficult things I was turning over in my brain were not her concern. She didn’t know the prayer I was praying under my breath or how I was certain that I had done it all wrong. Nope. She was just taking a walk.
Posted on October 25, 2019
What do you notice?
Tattling has always been a serious crime around our house. I have long lived by the rule that both the tale-teller and the wrongdoer will be punished. “Work it out! Unless there is blood. Then
Updated on October 4, 2019
How to chase a bear off a mountain
I am having trouble walking this week. And it’s my own fault. Or maybe I can blame the bear? I’m not sure. But there’s a story and a lesson here, I think. So I’m trying to pay attention.
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