Gaining a heart of wisdom
Posted with thanks, unabashed hero worship, and apologies to the memory of E.B.White (7/11/1899 – 10/1/1985), author of Charlotte’s Web and other beloved tales. He wrote “Memorandum,” originally published in Harper’s Magazine in October of 1941 and then compiled into One Man’s Meat in 1942, along with numerous other exquisite essays from White’s writing life. Please celebrate with me the beauty of… Continue reading A Merry Memorandum and an Important Resource for Epiphany
When my husband and I were still a “young couple,” we used to laugh over an imagined scenario at our church: Whatever happened to that young couple with all the boys?” “Haven’t you heard? They divorced – someone said that they just grew apart, that they didn’t know each other anymore.” “No! They were here… Continue reading 2 Good Reasons to Keep Showing Up at Your Church
Brother Lawrence, a seventeenth-century French monk, was assigned kitchen duty as his ministry in the monastery. Disappointed at first that his lack of poise and formal education had disqualified him from a more conventional "monkish" life, he eventually lived his way into an enthusiastic embrace of his calling. In fact, the insights he gleaned while… Continue reading The Presence of God: Will You Accept the Invitation Without an Agenda?
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Even in this season of the empty nest, I value its uncomplicated requirement of gathering with loved ones, preparing a meal featuring everyone's favorites, and cultivating a spirit of gratitude to carry throughout the year. Of course, that last one can be a little challenging, right? I keep catching myself… Continue reading Can I Really Persevere in Daily Gratitude as a Matter of Obedience?
For the first time ever, I planted garlic this fall. It's been ages since I've planted something completely different, something that required me to read the directions and something with an unpredictable outcome. Exhilarated at the prospect of a new crop, I did the research and learned that each small clove needed to be sunk… Continue reading When You Feel Stuck in Your Spiritual Life, Don’t Worry About Doing It “Right”
By the time my sons were old enough to talk, they were well-versed in the practice of apologizing. Four boys living in a modest-sized house have plenty of opportunity to bump into each other, both physically and relationally, but that’s not the only reason for the familiarity and frequency of apologetic words on this country… Continue reading Why is Confession Important? (I thought my sins were already forgiven!)
Written by real people with genuine feelings–often worn closer to the surface than this stoic New Englander might like–the Bible gives voice to a full range of emotions. There is plenty of joy and lots of celebration, and this has found its way into our worship. However, we are less comfortable with the shadow side… Continue reading Lament Looks at Evil in the World and then Looks for God
"One year ago today... Look back at September 17, 2022." My phone flashed a cheerful message as it does almost every day, inviting me to view photos from a year (or more!) ago. It's an invitation I usually ignore but for some reason, on September 17th I accepted. My reward was a video of wind-driven… Continue reading Harvest the Goodness of Every Single Day by Remembering
Rosaria Butterfield writes about our tendency to interrogate Scripture and its truth with a "doubt first and ask questions later" mindset when we see God behaving in ways we don't understand. A more helpful (and orthodox) mindset brings all we know about God's goodness and faithfulness to the biblical narrative and then invites the Scripture… Continue reading Three Powerful Reasons You Should Tell Your Story
My sweatshirt still carries the faint aroma of woodsmoke, and I'll get around to washing it sooner or later. For right now, though, I'm enjoying the memory of our quick, impromptu camping adventure in the tall pine trees surrounding Mount Blue. We carried in our water and used a Coleman lantern and a crackling fire… Continue reading Are You Becoming a True Spectator of the Glory of God?
Living Our Days 