Gaining a heart of wisdom
What goals have you set for your spiritual formation this summer? Do you want to trust God's faithfulness more fully? Have you accumulated a pile of deeply challenging books to read? Maybe you've decided that you're sick and tired of feeling as if your prayer life needs work and are determined to focus on your… Continue reading Think Well | Why Is It Important for Me to Persevere in Clear Thinking?
The gardening challenge here on the hill every summer for the past twenty-seven years could be summarized in four words: Big Garden, Small Well. Watering the garden has always taken a back seat to laundry and showers, but this year, with our nest officially empty on the date of our son's July wedding, I have… Continue reading The June Book Talk Where We Welcome Summer with Reading Friends
Sunday Scripture It's been so long since I administered a standardized test to a first grader that I had almost forgotten the most crucial skill being assessed is a little boy's ability to sit still for twenty to thirty minutes at a time while attending to academic material. Even with frequent and very stimulating breaks--butterfly… Continue reading What Obstacles Stand in the Way of Your Daily Endurance Test?
Sunday Scripture Yesterday, the earthly remains of my Uncle Paul were committed to the earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Canadian border is still closed, so I was unable to be there, but my dear Auntie Dawn attended to that by including one of my poems in the program, and it will be… Continue reading A Fond Father’s Day Farewell to a Family Patriarch
Sunday Scripture Have you ever wished you could open the Bible and read it for the first time? What if you could hear the words with new ears and see them with new eyes? How would it feel to rediscover the words you've heard for so long that you've stopped hearing them, like the sock… Continue reading Is Meditation an Important Part of the Christian Life? | A Quick Tutorial
Summer time is famous for its beach reads, for light fiction with a happy ending or lots of breezy self-help selections. If that's you, then I'm not judging. Happy summer reading to you! Sometimes, though, summer is the perfect opportunity to go deep with your reading, to tackle a challenging author, to make time for… Continue reading Did I Hear You Say You Want to Go Deep with Your Summer Reading?
Sunday Scripture It's a rough school day that ends with a show down in science class. Corporal punishment has been banished from the classroom, but sometimes it's the teacher who takes a beating. "Whatever made me think I could do this job?" I wondered, collapsing into weakness on the drive home. My best efforts with… Continue reading The One and Only Safe Place to Go with Your Weakness
After only five minutes in the presence of my granddaughter, I've already concluded that I don't have nearly enough ruffles and sequins in my closet. Of course, I recover quickly enough, not being even remotely a ruffles and sequins kind of woman, but that doesn't stop me from delighting in her girliness and her love… Continue reading 10 Important Things You Can’t Assume Your Teen Already Knows
Sunday Scripture A letter from the IRS claims space in your mailbox. The doctor orders more tests but is light on details or prognosis. Your boss hints that your performance might not be measuring up. Chances are just the suggestion of any one of these scenarios is enough to make your stomach churn and your… Continue reading What Does God Want Me to Know (And to Do!) About My Anxiety?
Sunday Scripture I don't recall exactly when I realized that I was missing the melody of the psalms in my daily life, but I decided to correct the situation by praying through the psalms. Now, twenty-something days into the practice, I'm grateful, because the practice of praying a psalm every day is opening up my… Continue reading Why You Should Pray a Psalm Every Day
Living Our Days 