Gaining a heart of wisdom
Anyone who has grown up in mainstream North American culture has inherited a freight of mythology -- some of it fun like Babe the Blue Ox and his exploits with Paul Bunyan. Some of it is misleading but harmless like George Washington and the cherry tree. However, some of our myths have grown up alongside… Continue reading Out of Myth and into Truth
Five and a half years ago our family piled into a mini-van and drove cross country -- Maine to Seattle, south to Arizona, and then in a zig-zagging joy ride back to Maine. Four boys, two parents, one tent, six sleeping bags, and five weeks of freedom on the road. It becomes a better memory… Continue reading Grant Us Grace to Ask
David stooped down and picked up a handful of stones, smooth to his touch and weighty. The rest of his story tumbles effortlessly into memory: the battle with Goliath, David's rise to fame in Israel, the finger of God upon his life. In Five Traits of a Christ Follower, Doug Nuenke fills up the metaphor of those five… Continue reading 5 Smooth Stones
With a huge garden, an apple tree that produced two pies this fall, and a rainbow of full canning jars in my basement, it is quite possible that my life approximates Rachel Macy Stafford's day dreams in the Home Depot outdoor garden section. Or could it be that my brand of rural chaos demonstrates that her… Continue reading Remarkable Things Spoken
Author, Priscilla Shirer, had collected her grandmother, buckled her into the passenger seat, and embarked on a junk food run for French fries and vanilla milkshakes. Knowing that her grandmother was a faithful prayer warrior with a notebook full of specific requests and written prayers that she added to daily, Priscilla queried, "Why do you… Continue reading So You Won’t Forget
The Liebster award? I had never heard of it either, but its roots are German, and the word "liebster" has several definitions: dearest, sweetest, beloved. In the world of blogging, you show your love by reading, so when Lisanne, also a blogger, nominated me for the Liebster award, I felt loved and appreciated just to know that someone is… Continue reading Chosen!
Almost twenty-two years ago, I packed up my favorite coffee mug, my personal files, and a few samples of my work, and walked away from my career in human resources. Four babies in eight years, homeschooling, ministry, and a huge vegetable garden each year have hardly left time for me to look in the rear… Continue reading Purposeful, Missional Work
So, it turns out that stroller wheels still run pretty well over hummocky, leaf-strewn garden pathways, and that the thud of a tiny muck boot still makes the same satisfying "bong" against the metal bed of a wheelbarrow. When the going gets desperate with a little guy, the desperate go outside -- just as I… Continue reading 10 Critical Concepts for Women’s Ministry
I heard her footsteps on the stairs last night -- jolted out of a sound sleep and into the familiar world of worry. Step, click, pause. The foot, the cane, the balance check. Exhaling in the dark, I realized . . . no. I had been dreaming. She’s not here anymore. She’s walking in safety… Continue reading The New Mommy Guilt: Putting Your Parent in a Care Facility
Humans and horses have worked and played together for centuries, and this bond finds its way into everyday life when you have a child who loves horses. My oldest son read horse books, played with model horses, and sat astride his stick horse to ride far and wide in search of . . . who… Continue reading Horses and Heartstrings
Living Our Days 