Gaining a heart of wisdom
Stop signs and flashing lights preside over busy intersections. Commas and semi-colons mark the collision of clauses. Wouldn't it be lovely if there were some ready marker or built-in gulp of air at the major crossroads of life? Kelly Chripczuk began living the transition from ten years in full-time mothering mode when her youngest children went… Continue reading Chickens at the Crossroads
By faith, we have gone behind the curtain. We have made our voices heard, according to the temperature of our hearts -- Some with a raised fist; Some with a wavering hope. We have sifted the relative merits of two deeply flawed and difficult candidates. We have heard the word "Never" said about the person… Continue reading A Prayer for November 9th
Six years ago, Ann Voskamp took the dare to dive deep into a lifestyle of gratitude. Could she record one thousand gifts from God and let her heart be changed by the knowledge of all the ways that God loved her? She wrote about the dare in her first book, and suddenly the Greek word… Continue reading The Broken Reaching Out to the Broken
There's a Greek alphabet tucked into my cookbook shelf, and every so often I bump into it in my search for a recipe. It's an apt metaphor for the place and prominence that deep study plays in my every day life -- tucked somewhere between the soup and the muffins. The reappearance of that chart… Continue reading Five Reasons You Should Study Greek
Movement outside my window is a continual distraction this time of year. Leaves floating down in vibrant shades of turmeric and cayenne pull my attention away from the pan on the stove, the recipe on the counter, the book I'm trying to read. The autumn foliage is breathtaking on this country hill, and I'm reminded… Continue reading October Musings — 2016
The words of 17th century poet John Milton from On His Blindness, come to mind with every visit to my mother's long-term care facility: "They also serve who only stand and wait." I hope it's true, and I'd love to report that in the midst of my waiting we have warm and meaningful conversations or… Continue reading Standing and Waiting with Those Who Suffer
After holding babies close, Holding hands on the walk to the mailbox, Holding feet to the fire, Holding loosely to the ones who have left the nest (Say it and say it until you believe it: "roots and wings," "roots and wings"), My hands and heart are learning the contours of a new holding: An… Continue reading Each Day By Name
In my gratitude journal, you will not find the words "back pain" or "dead air conditioner in the mini-van." And even though I have read (and re-read) the Beatitudes, I am in a season of mourning deeply over the advancing dementia of a dear friend -- and I'm not feeling the least bit blessed by… Continue reading Ten Thousand Truths
"Don't corral others to meet your needs." "Choose to be a servant." "Give yourself away." If you're interviewing a guy who wears the title "Chief Encouragement Officer" like a banner, you can expect to hear lots of sentences like these. Here's another one: "The goal is to get small and, in humility, to build others… Continue reading The Great Work: Encouragement
Living near the coast of Maine and worshiping in a small fishing village, I've spent some idyllic moments on the deck of a friend's lobster boat and marveled at the treasures (the beautiful and the ugly) that come tumbling out of a lobster trap. I've skirted the perimeter of a secluded island with four little… Continue reading Dramatic, Wild, and Wet
