Gaining a heart of wisdom
Last year, I started keeping a list of prayer requests, dated and described, and then, to my great surprise -- answers! Clear direction for a son, help and success in a ministry opportunity, a new and wonderful job for my husband. Reviewing the list from time to time, I'm reminded to give thanks, and I'm… Continue reading God Moves Mountains When Women Pray
It is reasonable to think that a book like Street of Eternal Happiness could be written about any stretch of road on the planet -- even this country hill where white clapboards and long driveways are separated by acres of margin. Even here, I'm sure this winding road is lined on both sides with serial narratives. The… Continue reading Living the Chinese Dream
Hand in tiny hand they meandered their way down the aisle, flower girl and ring bearer, each gripping a bouquet, searching the crowded pews for the faces of their grandmothers. I can't recall ever seeing a more beautiful flower arrangement than the one with the dangling rose that I received from my grandson at his… Continue reading Musings — June 2017
The Bible is the world's best-selling and most widely distributed book. A Huffpost Survey indicates that 88% of respondents own a Bible, yet only 1 in 5 Americans read the Bible on a regular basis. At one end of the spectrum are those who consider it alongside and equivalent to any other ancient text. At… Continue reading Is Reading the Bible Different from Reading Any Other Book?
Glory is everywhere in these short days of summer. A walk to the mailbox overloads the senses with unusual bird sightings, progress in the garden, and the frenzied buzzing of bee scouts filling their saddle bags with the makings for a flourishing life. Clyde Kilby* laments: "One of the greatest tragedies of the fall is… Continue reading The Familiar Glories
Most days on this country hill are a blur. With every line in my planner filled, there's also the background music of laundry and continual cleaning. In the winter, there's a voracious wood stove; in the summer there's a garden that needs constant attention. Of course, at the far right side of this equation of… Continue reading The Work of Home
"What's your family's favorite movie?" my friend Melanie asked me. She was working on a post about great family-friendly movies to watch over the summer. Would I choose a movie and write a review for her to share with her readers?" Of course, I would! Cue the popcorn-scented memories of boys in pajamas, four abreast… Continue reading Amazing Summer Movies for Families to Enjoy
Rootedness was always the thing that both repelled and intrigued me. I left my parents' home at the age of seventeen and pictured a life unleashed -- no commitments. I copied all my record albums onto small and portable cassette tapes (dinosaur alert!) and prepared for the unencumbered life. With that resolve in my rear… Continue reading A Theology of Home
For all its challenges, moving into a fixer-upper six days before the birth of my oldest son was what set my face like a flint in this direction: We will not wait for perfection. We will welcome the world into our home. Hanging off the northeast corner of the U.S. mainland, we’re not on the… Continue reading Around the Table. Around the World
We were greeted with warm handshakes and pleasantries, an outline of the morning service, and then a startling announcement: "We assumed that your wife would want to take the children." In the early days of our marriage when my husband was the area director of a children's ministry, I used to travel with him to… Continue reading Women in Ministry: What God Wants You to Know
Living Our Days 