Gaining a heart of wisdom
Advent Series Part Two: Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6) Learning to live with Parkinson's Disease has been a crash course in acknowledging my limits. I'm grateful for brain-training exercises from my physical therapist designed to counteract the drawing inward and the self-protective shrinkage of movement that comes with uncertain balance, joint pain, and the unpredictability of… Continue reading Living Within Limits and Loving a God Who Has No Limits
Sunday Scripture There's something about a wedding that revives hope and renews my optimism about the carrying power of love. My son and his bride recited strong promises about a love that lasts in a ceremony that was both romantic and sacred. Love, respect, and faithful devotion are a solid beginning for a life-long partnership.… Continue reading Have You Almost Given Up on Finding a Love that Lasts?
Sunday Scripture I'm fascinated by the spiritual growth of my grandchildren. At 5 and 2, they know for sure that God made them. They know he loves them, and whenever we have "theological discussions," I am usually the one who walks away enlightened, because their thoughts about God come through uncluttered and full of joy.… Continue reading What Do You Know for Sure About God?
A city’s gradual emergence from the coronavirus shut down corresponds to a certain atmosphere in its airport. My husband and I took off our masks just long enough to eat subs at a socially distant table, and then, our masks back in place, we settled ourselves near Gate A-3 to wait out the remainder of… Continue reading An Unveiled Life in the Presence of God
Sunday Scripture God is the ocean, and we keep writing about a cup of water."Charlie Peacock, musician and producer One cannot be too careful about one's reading material, especially at thirty thousand feet where confined airplane space and a four hour flight leave plenty of room for pondering a powerful metaphor. "God is the ocean,… Continue reading Will You Play It Safe–or Will You Take on the Ocean?
Jeremiah floats the question, and I almost miss the impact. Coming as it does in the midst of a firestorm of holy fury against the false prophets who are Jeremiah’s contemporaries, the question sounds rhetorical: “’Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in… Continue reading Sunday Scripture ~ Jeremiah 23:24
I am, by nature, a do-er, but one of my favorite, long-time friends can "squander" an entire afternoon over tea and conversation without batting a remorseful eyelash. When we were both in the trenches of parenting toddlers, we twirled long phone cords, and I heard her sleep-deprived voice say, "Sometimes I just sit on the… Continue reading It’s Time to Stop Comparing and Start Rejoicing
He placed one hand on the door frame, shifted his weight to one foot, and then placed the other small boot toe-down on the floor. Looking at his dad, he checked his hand position and then assumed the facial expression he deemed appropriate to the occasion, a conversation among "the guys." My grandson's imitation of… Continue reading 10 Ways to Reflect God’s Character
We did it! In August, my Sunday morning kids finished our study of ten of God's incommunicable attributes -- the characteristics we marvel at but cannot share. (How many can you name? I will list the ten that we studied in the comment section below.) All that majesty has not been wasted on me as… Continue reading Musings – August 2016
It is staggering to think that the life of faith is really an invitation to share in the nature of God. He is holy, and he calls the believer to a life of holiness, providing the means and the might to make it happen. He is loving, and He pours His love through us in… Continue reading Toward a Theology of Reverence and Awe
Living Our Days 