Gaining a heart of wisdom
"Remember, now, we're looking for interesting shapes in nature," I advised my grandson as he picked a tiger lily to add to his collection. We ranged far and wide in search of ferns, winged seeds, leaves both pinnate and palmate, and anything else that caught his eye. His new bright red T-shirt was stretched out… Continue reading Look to Creation for a Story of Hope and Flourishing
I discovered Be Thou My Vision, the classic hymn, when I was in my twenties during a season when my own vision was clouded by uncertainty about the future and lack of clarity about my calling. It was a beautiful and poetic way for me to howl, "Show me, LORD! What is true? What is… Continue reading Time-Bound and Short-Sighted, We Need God to be Our Vision
Like beads on a string, our minutes slide by. Poor, cynical Solomon bemoaned the futility of it all, dismissing his significant accomplishments as a chasing after the wind. Author Annie Dillard speaks a better and more hopeful wisdom: How we live our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. The most common complaint about time… Continue reading 4 Habits for Managing Moments When Time Is Scarce
My grandson’s favorite grape tomatoes ripen to a vivid orange in the sunshine on one of the outside rows of my garden. When he was a toddler, he would quiver with delight whenever we picked them together, filling container after container with their bright beauty—and a small cupful to stow in his cup holder for… Continue reading Wake Up to Wonder as a Pathway to Loving and Celebrating God
There’s a peculiar satisfaction that comes with being right. Given the opportunity, we’ll make an idol of it and even run roughshod over those we claim to love in order to win an argument, thereby trading peace for the honor of clutching the blue ribbon of "rightness" close to our hearts. Often what’s at stake… Continue reading The Humble Discovery of Truth that Makes Us and Defines Us
When my sons were tiny, I kept a running list of their zany questions in my journal--everything from the deeply theological to "What's inside my tongue?" Now it's my grandkids who keep the party going, but for some time now, my readers have been sending questions my way, so this post will be given over… Continue reading I’m Really Glad You Asked: A Post Featuring Your Questions and My Answers
I've noticed myself becoming impatient with some of this year's newly published books, which seem to be running toward Christianity as a self-improvement project. Scanning the lists from publishers, it dawned on me that there's no way I can be or do or fix all the unspoken broken that populates our world, the church, or… Continue reading Embrace a Life of Restful Exertion to Counteract a Self-Help Culture
Last Wednesday my good husband and I celebrated thirty-one years together. Would it be unromantic to say that a good marriage requires perseverance? Of course, it's pleasant work, and the rewards are great, but here are three small ways that I've noticed us persevering in our years together: Persevere in Believing We've come through some… Continue reading The May Book Talk with Thoughts on Marriage, Perseverance, and 3 Books I Recommend
Farewell, 2020!Welcome, 2021! If I've learned anything from the year we've just experienced it's the need for (and the importance of) compassionate listening to those who are different from me in any number of ways. As a majority culture, rural-dwelling woman on "this side" of fifty, it's tempting for me to throw everything I don't… Continue reading The December Book Talk Where Reading Friends Pause to Ponder
In my small, sleepy hometown, the day the Bookmobile parked across the road from Clowater's Market was nothing short of breathtaking. I recall no scheduled rhythm or advance warning, but somehow word reached us, and I pedaled my bike down Route 1 with an empty book bag slung over the handle bars. Filling the bag… Continue reading How Is Your Reading Impacting Your Life?
Living Our Days 