Some Good Verbs From God
I’m reading the Psalms in a different translation (the ESV) in a new Bible. I find I see many gems I might have missed before. This morning, I take great delight in highlighting the verbs of God in Psalm 91:14-16. I love that Moses wrote Psalm 91. What ancient writing with great wisdom! We learn […]
Making Time
I remember this morning to slow down and think about what I most need if I’m feeling overwhelmed about anything. I discover that normally I feel overwhelmed when I feel like I don’t have enough time. Time is a magnificent resource to manage. When I talk to older people, and especially wealthier people, they tell […]
All the Comforts
My oldest daughter will come for a visit from college for a few days. I immediately think of every possible way to bless her. I shop for all her favorite foods; I make her bedroom cozy; I set up everything for her relaxation. My mom did the same thing for me when I would come […]
Remember Gratitude
I’ve been loving my gratitude journal as a spiritual wellness practice rooted in research. It’s so good to be thankful! I used to find just five things I wanted to thank God for each morning, but sometimes I fill a whole journal page of more than 20 things! What if you tried to fill a […]
Viable
For days, I’ve explained to my daughter how I’m not sure the seeds we gathered and stored last summer are viable. I plant. I wait. I peek in on the soil every day. Precisely one week after planting my stored tomato seed, I see it just now: the teeny-tiniest little sprout. Viable! Viable! We’re so […]
The Good Light
“Then swing your window open, the one with the fresh air and good eastern light, and watch for wings, edges, new beginnings.” –Monique Duval
Outside When Possible
With the bitter cold and icy streets gone, I think about getting outside whenever I can. Trees, creeks, birds: these nourish in ways we cannot understand. I love the therapy of sound: the rustling of leaves, the chiming of the creek water over stones, and the call of songbirds. I love the therapy of scent: […]
Remembering Your Resolutions
This week, my youngest daughter and I recall the New Years Resolution that I wanted to shape our forthcoming days: Do things that require faith. Pray more. Add to the good wherever we are. We remember this as we make birthday treats for two different neighbors, as we add our burdens to the prayer journal, […]
The Day of Unraveling
My friend mentions that this time last year, on this very day, everything began unraveling. By evening, everything was shutting down in NYC, and we canceled our hotel reservation and scurried home. Rumors of no toilet paper on the shelves hit out phones, and by the next morning, we were stocking up for what we […]
Hidden But Nonetheless Real
With each passing year, I see this now as Hannah Whitall Smith came to understand. She writes this: “[God’s] care of us may be hidden care, but it is nonetheless real, and all things in the daily events of our lives are made to work subservient to his gracious purposes toward us.” What a wonderful […]