Gaining a heart of wisdom
We've been watching birds here on this country hill for over thirty years and have compiled quite a long list of regular visitors. Year-round, the chickadees rend the air between forest and feeder, and then stitch it back up again after sampling some seed. Mourning doves are the faithful clean-up crew on the ground below,… Continue reading Why Wise People Pay Attention to the Birds
Standing in my warm kitchen, I was thankful for a sunny day. The sun streamed through our windows, creating rectangular patches of light on the floor. The truth about that light landed in my mind like a benediction: Those patches of light that warmed and cheered me had traveled 93 million miles to reach my… Continue reading The One View that Changes Everything You See and Do
Having arrived and having now spent a few years in the season of the empty nest, I feel qualified to report on my findings. You may be surprised... I think we're always surprised when the good we anticipate turns out to be hard. Understand, I'm not saying that good and hard are opposites. However, in… Continue reading When You Want to Persevere in a Weary Season
When I'm teaching a group of women, and I say, "The Bible is a book about God," I expect eyes to roll, because, well.... Isn't it obvious? Yes, it is obvious, which begs the question: Why, then, do we read the Bible as if it's all about us? We open it to our favorite parts… Continue reading Discover the Bible as One Coherent Story About God
Book lovers will understand me when I say that I have been "talking about" decluttering my jam-packed bookshelves for at least a year. I need to do it, and the only way to do it is to rip off the Band-Aid and just start giving books away. In one afternoon of energetic zeal, I culled… Continue reading Own Less, Love More, and Make an Impact in Your World
A photo snapped at just the right time becomes a treasure, a way of holding on to a memory or a season. Twenty years ago, we were visiting friends at a Vermont lakeside cabin. The location was a childhood dream come true. We all swam together—until I realized that we were swimming with big, grumpy… Continue reading Practical Wisdom for an Unhurried Childhood
My days in elementary school classrooms offer me a priceless window into the minds of young humans. In some ways, the things they value, the hand-holds they grip for meaning and significance, haven't changed since I was in elementary school. There's really no such thing as "the good old days." Athleticism, confidence, a snappy personality,… Continue reading What Does It Mean to Be a Human Being Today?
As hard as it might be to believe, the "influencers" of my formative years were ordinary people. I actually knew them, ate at their tables, rode in their cars, and, in some cases, even slept in their guest rooms. I was formed and influenced by high school teachers, a nursing assistant, and an assortment of… Continue reading The Power and the Promise of Your Ordinary Life
You don't need me to tell you that these are anxious days we're living in. Even if you limit your news intake as I do, the headlines are beyond belief, and it's easy to let our hearts slide into unhealthy rhythms. I've said it before here, and I'll say it again: We fall back onto… Continue reading Calm Your Anxious Heart with Rich Devotional Reading
Suddenly, I have a grandson who is almost as tall as I am. It happened this winter. After a couple of weeks of quick hellos and brief connections, I finally got a whole day with him and his siblings, and there he was, standing there with his brown eyes looking straight into mine. His growth… Continue reading Sometimes the Greatest Transformation Comes When You’re Not Looking
Living Our Days 