Gaining a heart of wisdom
“I want to keep it handy in case I need it,” she said, matter-of-factly. She wasn’t talking about a flashlight. Not a package of tissues. Not even a cell phone...(They hadn’t been invented in 1978.) She was talking about Isaiah 55. “I liked it,” she went on. “So I memorized it.” Come, all you who are… Continue reading Memorize the Mind of God and See Your Own Mind Changed
I still chuckle when I remember the look of surprise on the faces of kids on the morning after a sleepover when all the Morins would suddenly just burst out singing at the breakfast table. We wanted our kids to learn the hymns of the faith, so we made it part of our routine. When… Continue reading Standing on the Promises is More Active than it Sounds
I love everything about a good mystery novel--anticipating the protagonist's brilliance and bravery, the twists and turns of the plot, and the intrigue of the unknown. (Persevere to the end for a review of my most recent mystery read!) Because it's such a popular genre, when the word mystery shows up in the Bible, sometimes… Continue reading Have You Read Any Good Mysteries Lately?
Jesus is risen!He is risen, indeed!And, today, as we affirm that glorious truth with our sunrise breakfasts and Easter lilies, with our celebratory singing and ham dinners, we're coming close to the heartbeat of God. For most of us, it will be a busy day, so let's fortify ourselves with truth strong enough to carry… Continue reading What Do I Learn About God from Easter?
Since 2022 was my worst gardening year EVER, my enthusiasm for spring and another year of digging in the dirt seems completely unreasonable. After all, 2022 began with great intentionality--an early planting of peas and lettuce and lots of faithful watering followed by thorough weeding of the growing plants. Certainly, the plump woodchuck living under… Continue reading Intentional Gardening–and an Intentional Life–in Partnership with God
Sunday Scripture Today, we begin Holy Week with the waving of palms and the well-loved story about a borrowed colt, an adoring crowd, cloaks thrown on the ground, and a hero's welcome. Caught in the present moment, Jesus's disciples were likely imagining that this was IT, that this event was surely the climax of all… Continue reading Palm Sunday: Celebrating a Day of Triumph and Tears
When I am in the process of turning bright red tomatoes into fragrant and delicious spaghetti sauce in my kitchen, I’m usually working with inexact measures. The recipe may call for nine cups of tomato puree, but my garden produces whatever seems right in that season. Measuring the herbs that flavor the sauce is definitely… Continue reading Commit Your Minutes to the Hard Work of Reaching Your Goal
Sunday Scripture One of the few relics that has survived my youth is a small golden cross, mailed to me by a dear aunt and uncle I met only once. Whenever I wear it, I think about their unlikely generosity, their completely uncalled-for interest in an awkward pre-teen. And in this Lenten season, I wonder,… Continue reading Carrying Death but Manifesting Life? How in the World Does this Work?
Spring is officially here, and it's time to begin planning my annual dinner for the women of my church. Trust me, I'm no hospitality expert, but I try to make it special for them with a pretty table and a scrumptious dessert. One year I made a turkey dinner, another year it was chicken cordon… Continue reading What is Biblical Hospitality? Rediscover the Powerful Practice of Simply Making Room
Sunday Scripture Friends had come to visit and to help, but I couldn’t have been more horrified if the people at my door had been bandits or kidnappers. Number one, I was on the couch. Number two, I had been sick for weeks and the house must have looked like a train wreck. (Fortunately, my… Continue reading Learning to Receive with Grace: Does My Help Really Come from the Lord?
Living Our Days 