Gaining a heart of wisdom
Part of the delight of spending time with my oldest grandson is that he takes nothing for granted.Nothing.“Bam, why bubble pop?”“Because you stood on it.”“Why?” Well, good question. Why indeed, and even now, our conversations still routinely run on in this vein of relentless curiosity. Now that he’s old enough to have moved from bubble… Continue reading The Practice of Curiosity and the Rewards of a Lifelong Quest for Knowledge
Happy Father's Day! If you have a loving dad in your home, or if you grew up in a home where there was a supportive and involved father, you have so much to celebrate! Children are blessed when their father contributes his unique gifts, perspectives, and personality to the family. One of the best gifts… Continue reading The Best Father’s Day Gift: A Loving Dad
On my morning walk, sunrise casts its glow across dewy hayfields. Breathing deeply, pushing hard on uphill stretches, and swinging my arms purposefully to keep my heart rate up, I am beginning to understand this ritual as both spiritual and physical discipline. Since exercise has been medically proven to slow the advance of Parkinson's disease,… Continue reading The Importance of Rest for Your Body and Your Spirit
Advent is my favorite space on the church calendar. I understand the season as preparation and a solemn but celebratory time of waiting. Lent is longer, and I find myself losing focus, but I appreciate the invitation to reckon with Christ's offering up of himself and to examine my own heart before diving into the… Continue reading Happy Pentecost! But What Does It Mean And How Do I Celebrate?
We sat in silent disbelief, neither of us knowing what to say. When my husband’s job was eliminated without warning, the news landed like a tidal wave: completely unexpected and comprehensively devastating. Then, as the wave receded, applications, interviews, and the thin hope that accompanies waiting seemed to set the agenda for our family’s unknown… Continue reading How to Persevere in Hope When the Outcome is Uncertain
Like almost everyone, I'm paying a little more attention to the news these days. The plight of Ukraine boggles my mind and reads like a replay from Mr. Sincerbeaux's 20th Century European History class in which he skillfully dramatized the nefarious schemes of Soviet Russia as it engulfed most of Eastern Europe. The earnest commentator… Continue reading Why Should You Be Outraged by Crimes Against Humanity?
For almost thirty years, this country hill in Maine has been home to our family. One by one, we've added to the numbers until, soon, we'll be 14 Morins in all, but it all started with two of us. The longer we live here, the more obvious it becomes that "home" is really more about… Continue reading Are You Looking for the Way to a Destination Called Peaceful Rest?
Armed with passwords and last year’s tax forms, we gathered at the dining room table with my youngest son and his new wife. They had asked for help in the annual ritual of completing the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which college students must submit in order to qualify for scholarships of… Continue reading Mothering Ourselves Out of a Job: Launching Our Children into Adulthood with Joy
At 7, my oldest grandson is already a contemplative, a fellow who asks a lot of questions and registers an opinion on just about everything. Maybe that's a family trait (for better or for worse), but a recent reading of Psalm 131 has given me good reason to rethink the merits of over-thinking and the… Continue reading What If the Key to Rest Is Ordinary, Down to Earth Faith?
Fear is a powerful motivator. Even the reluctant student might memorize lists of data for fear of failing a class. Motorists maintain a more conservative driving speed in areas where police regularly patrol. Unfortunately, there is also the fear that paralyzes, which leads to irrational decisions and self-protective behaviors. Fear of God, however, is the supremely rational fear,… Continue reading Fear Bravely as You Are Strengthened with the Courage to Love
Living Our Days 