Gaining a heart of wisdom
Sure, the angels told the shepherds that Jesus had been born, but when John said, "We beheld His glory," it would seem that there's an implicit invitation to use our imaginations a bit, and Sally Lloyd-Jones has accepted that invitation! Song of the Stars pictures the occasion of Jesus' birth as an evening of breathless anticipation and enthusiastic sharing of… Continue reading It’s Time!
Big plans are great, and, without a doubt, The Great Commission is an invitation to develop a no-holds-barred, pull-out-the-stops strategy to change the world. History provides rich examples of those who did just that: Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, Jim Elliot, Mary Slessor and many more whose names we will never hear. In Overrated, Eugene Cho asks himself… Continue reading Justice 101
Some of our most important and profound words are said in doorways. Because someone is leaving, words spoken at the door are often more consequential, more weighty. Time is short and must not be frittered away. An entire evening may pass filled with light conversation and meandering stories until it's time to say goodbye, and suddenly the… Continue reading Conversation at the Door
Confession: We take a day off from school every year to decorate for Christmas. When everyone was small, it truly took all day. However, now that everyone is strong and competent, the boxes are out of the attic, and everything is festive in a matter of hours, and it's a good thing because the boys all… Continue reading M is for Manger — A Book Review
Robert Frost's thrush is not singing a solo in his invitation to lament, but is adding to the words of the prophet Jeremiah, and has now been joined by Soong-Chan Rah in Prophetic Lament: A Call for Justice in Troubled Times. In Frost's poem, the invitation is declined, and perhaps he had good reason, as he was "out… Continue reading “Come into the Dark and Lament”
I may possibly have rolled my eyes a teensy bit as I glanced at the 3x5 card from my pocket: "Sing praise to the Lord for He has done gloriously. Let this be made known in all the earth," Isaiah 12:5. It's not that I disbelieve the first clause; no, it's the scope of the… Continue reading Invitation to Adventure
I am a utilitarian knitter with mittens, dish cloths, and the occasional scarf as my only output, but even so, one of the things that is always in my sturdy, grab-and-go backpack is a pair of knitting needles holding my current knitting project. It may go for months untouched, but I value any time that… Continue reading For the Creative Soul
“Even my sink is full today!” I grouched, pouring another wire basket of tomatoes into the path of the running water. There were cucumbers on the counter, beans in the garden that needed to be picked . . . and no time to do it all. I love my garden -- although sometimes this is… Continue reading The Burden Is Light
I really didn't think I needed this book. It was written for procrastinators, for people who need help in Taming the To-Do-List. If anything, I'm an "ante-crastinator," too faint-hearted to wait until the last minute, who goes into panic mode just thinking about the potential of going into panic mode. But then I read Glynnis… Continue reading Don’t Put It Off
Just this morning I penned gift number 4,013 into my gratitude journal where, for four years, I have been recording everyday blessings: candle light before dawn; everyone home for dinner; first apple pie from our very own tree. Eileen Spinelli has created a rhyming picture book that will set readers onto the path of remembering all… Continue reading Everyday Blessings
Living Our Days 