Gaining a heart of wisdom
In my senior year of college, I took an English elective on the writings of C.S.Lewis. The professor, Dr. Kaye, was ebullient, effervescent, and contagious in her love for the Oxford don who spun words into gold. Her instructions for the final exam were simple but ominous: simply bring a pen and plenty of paper.… Continue reading Lessons from C.S.Lewis: Becoming Fully Human
It should come as no surprise when a brain that has been marinating for decades in North American evangelical culture has an immediate and visceral response to the names of prominent historical Christians: C.S. Lewis: Green light and heart emojis (but, remember, he did smoke . . .) Francis Schaeffer: Amazing intellect, but too bad… Continue reading The Life and Theology of Karl Barth
The front-and-center project that's consuming time and thought these days is a parenting workshop that my husband and I will be teaching in March. Preparation includes reviewing everything we've read about parenting in the past couple of years, remembering everything we've stumbled upon in the past two decades in the trenches of parenting, discussing all… Continue reading Parenting After the Fall
Embrace the awkward and essential challenge of Christian community
“Wait,” He said, and locked His gaze with eleven pairs of eyes brimming with question marks. “Wait. I have been your constant companion for three years, walking long deserted roads, sharing our meager meals, sleeping under the stars. I have answered your questions and rebuked your faithlessness, and now it is time for me to… Continue reading Wait for the Spirit of Christmas
The house where I grew up is gone, and I haven't returned to pay homage to the empty space. For me, home -- the place of belonging and permanence -- is this country hill which has created in me a deep appreciation and understanding of the importance of place. Expecting to live solitary and transient,… Continue reading Jayber Crow: Welcome to the Discussion!
Most days on this country hill are a blur. With every line in my planner filled, there's also the background music of laundry and continual cleaning. In the winter, there's a voracious wood stove; in the summer there's a garden that needs constant attention. Of course, at the far right side of this equation of… Continue reading The Work of Home
Rootedness was always the thing that both repelled and intrigued me. I left my parents' home at the age of seventeen and pictured a life unleashed -- no commitments. I copied all my record albums onto small and portable cassette tapes (dinosaur alert!) and prepared for the unencumbered life. With that resolve in my rear… Continue reading A Theology of Home
There are 48 tomato seedlings on my deck, waiting to be transplanted into the garden. Warm soil and optimism dictate the parameters of spring gardening here in Maine; therefore, even in the presence of the first, absence of the second may keep me from putting anything tender out into the elements until after Memorial Day.… Continue reading Musings – May 2017
Five hundred years ago, the writing and teaching of Martin Luther set in motion within the church a series of reforms that were so widespread and foundational that we still speak of them as The Reformation. In this anniversary year, much is being written about the lives of the reformers, but direct access to Luther's commentaries, sermons,… Continue reading Martin Luther in His Own Words
Living Our Days 