Gaining a heart of wisdom
We were new in church and new to the area, and our little three-bedroom fixer-upper was situated in a part of the universe in which it didn’t matter that we had been born and bred in Maine. We had not been born and bred in this part of Maine, and we had the accent (or lack of same) to… Continue reading People Who Are Cooked for Feel Cared For: 4 Helpful Hospitality Resources
Sunday Scripture Did you remember to spring forward today? Every year when we "spring forward" and go around the house setting all our clocks ahead one hour, I lament the disappearance of that hour of sleep or productivity. I know... we get the hour back in the fall, but, to tell the honest truth, some… Continue reading Do You Feel As If Your Spring Forward Is Just Plain Sprung?
Sunday Scripture Spring is still a bit hard to notice here on the hill. Luci Shaw would say that it's "a promise in the closed fist of a long winter," and the chunk of snow still melting on the north, shaded side of the house would attest to that poetic description. Even so, there is… Continue reading Do You Need Encouragement to Keep on Singing?
"So who's mentoring whom here?" my friend asked with a mischievous grin. Good question! When friends challenge one another with shared books, Scripture reading, and transparent prayer, everyone is sharpened and restored in a way that uniquely shows the love of God. Janice Peterson calls this "spiritual friendship," and has reached back into her long… Continue reading How to Do the Hard and Holy Work of Faithful Friendship
Debbie Kitterman's class comprised a delightful balance of both brown and white faces, and when she overheard the symphony of Spanish and English conversations, her curiosity was piqued. At the first opportunity, she approached the pastor of the Hispanic congregation that was hosting her class. "How come half of my class doesn't speak Spanish?" she… Continue reading The Bridge-Building Ministry of Encouragement
Here on this country hill, I see my neighbors from a distance. The stillness and solitude are a bonus, but there are times when I think it would be nice to look up from my weeding and see a friendly face over the garden fence, to compare notes on ripening tomatoes and Japanese beetles, and… Continue reading Visiting Over the Garden Fence
July has been a month of gatherings, and nothing is more precious to me than the gift of my patient husband and our family. To celebrate Independence Day we all trekked to our favorite State Park on Lake St. George for a daylong picnic and swim, and then off to the fireworks. We've relished a… Continue reading Musings — July 2016
Living Our Days 