Gaining a heart of wisdom
I still chuckle when I remember the look of surprise on the faces of kids on the morning after a sleepover when all the Morins would suddenly just burst out singing at the breakfast table. We wanted our kids to learn the hymns of the faith, so we made it part of our routine. When… Continue reading Standing on the Promises is More Active than it Sounds
Since 2022 was my worst gardening year EVER, my enthusiasm for spring and another year of digging in the dirt seems completely unreasonable. After all, 2022 began with great intentionality--an early planting of peas and lettuce and lots of faithful watering followed by thorough weeding of the growing plants. Certainly, the plump woodchuck living under… Continue reading Intentional Gardening–and an Intentional Life–in Partnership with God
When I am in the process of turning bright red tomatoes into fragrant and delicious spaghetti sauce in my kitchen, I’m usually working with inexact measures. The recipe may call for nine cups of tomato puree, but my garden produces whatever seems right in that season. Measuring the herbs that flavor the sauce is definitely… Continue reading Commit Your Minutes to the Hard Work of Reaching Your Goal
Sunday Scripture One of the few relics that has survived my youth is a small golden cross, mailed to me by a dear aunt and uncle I met only once. Whenever I wear it, I think about their unlikely generosity, their completely uncalled-for interest in an awkward pre-teen. And in this Lenten season, I wonder,… Continue reading Carrying Death but Manifesting Life? How in the World Does this Work?
Among the pesky distractions that accompany an online ministry are the hackers who invade and imitate, even going so far as to steal accounts for their own nefarious purposes. Of course, all I have to do is open my Bible or read a few missionary biographies to put my own ministry woes into proper perspective.… Continue reading How Will You Overcome the Challenges Life Throws at You?
Do you ever wonder why you can recall banal song lyrics from your youth, but can't remember why you've walked into the family room? I'm learning from this affliction that if I want to commit something to memory or form some sticky habit that's important to me, I really have to work at it. I… Continue reading A Guided Meditation to Keep Your Heart from Wandering
Bread dough the color of molasses yielded to the pressure of my working fist. Fold, press, turn, repeat, and soon I lost count of how many times I had kneaded the fragrant lump. With the recipe calling for three hundred repetitions, I began to wonder... Three hundred? Really? Switching to the heel of my hand,… Continue reading Create the Right Conditions for Spiritual Growth: Trust the Recipe
If I should ever happen to meet the Old Testament prophetess Huldah, I would fully expect her to have pale blue eyes like my friend Mary's. Mary had turned her eyes on full power the day she rebuked me for being a hypocrite. Gulp... Until that point, we were having a great visit, sharing how… Continue reading Learning Humility: Cooperating with God in God’s Time and in God’s Way
My first few substitute teaching gigs in the fall always generate a bit of anxiety--butterflies over the unknown, anticipation of challenges, always the possibility of conflict. To my great surprise, on my first day of school, as I inserted my key into the car's ignition, the words of Isaiah 12 rushed into my mind, and… Continue reading Give Thanks! Sing Praises! Solid Disciplines Foster Strong Habits
Now that winter with its "firm, business-like cold"1 has arrived here in Maine, bare branches open up the landscape for a good view of the horizon, but the sun does little to mitigate the monotonous gray or the hard-as-iron ground under my feet. I'll admit that most days I take to the basement exercise bike… Continue reading Do You Ever Wonder if God Has a Reason for Your Suffering?
Living Our Days 