Leaning into Winter
My neighbor from Denmark tells us to “lean into winter” as we discuss the coming snowstorm. He’s already snuggled into his warm, fire-lit kitchen and making homemade donuts for us. He’s the same neighbor who tells us “winter is the warmest season.” He’s probably already been cross-country skiing through the neighborhood. I think about leaning […]
4 Ways to Move Forward with Wisdom for February
Lately I’m thinking of a few pieces of wisdom to guide February’s choices: Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Jesus said “no” to certain tasks often (Mark 1:35-38). Jesus also followed the exact instructions of the Father and did not go beyond this (John 14:31). Lots of activity isn’t the same […]
The Winter Windowsill Garden
Growing things indoors in winter makes me so happy. I love the fresh basil in particular since I’ll harvest a few leaves for our stuffed spinach shells tonight. Having windowsill basil in the winter means you always have fresh basil for pizza toppings, in pasta, or on sandwiches. I have the orchid and the growing […]
A Great Prayer for You and Others
I love Psalm 141:3-4. It’s an odd prayer to pray when you’re dealing with all the things David dealt with. In fact, if you notice how this psalm begins, David says this: O Lord, I call to you: come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to you. Doesn’t it sound so urgent? […]
A Gift of Creating and Teaching
In Exodus 35, we learn something amazing about God. He clearly gives a special gift of creativity and teaching. How wonderful! We read about Bezalel and Oholiab this: Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him […]
It’s a Snow Day!
I love that our school district allowed for a real snow day today–even for the students who learn remotely. When we received the alert of closed schools because of the fresh layer of ice outside, life felt a little normal. It felt like it did in past years–before everyone learned on Zoom, before nobody stopped […]
Small, Easy Changes
I love thinking about how small interventions into your life can create major ripple effects of well-being. Try these: drink another glass of water; eat an apple; go to bed at the same time every night; record 5 things you’re thankful for; walk for 15 minutes around the block. In a classroom, you can also […]
Listen, Celebrate, Watch, and Remove a Burden
I’ve been thinking about the time Moses’ father-in-law comes to visit him in the desert. It’s such a beautiful account in Exodus 18. It actually offers great insight into how to interact with both adult children and younger people who might look to you for wisdom. Here’s what I noticed: In verse 8, we read […]
The Blessing of a Virtual Retreat
I wasn’t sure how it would feel this morning as I spoke from the corner of my bedroom for a virtual retreat on Seated, Guarded, and Sent. Yet so quickly I realized how fantastic this event was going to be! I loved the cozy feeling of speaking to the women as they sat in their […]
Murmuring
It’s hard to read Exodus and not think carefully about all the complaining. We see the worst in ourselves as the Israelites murmur and grumble and continue to complain when things don’t go well for them. In fact, I’ve heard others teach on this murmuring, critical spirit that can take over your whole life. In […]