Scratch That—Back to Heat
For the next few days, we’ll experience high temperatures in the 80’s. I’m back in t-shirts, and the house returns to air conditioning. Seasons in Pennsylvania teach me that during times of seasonal transition, we might swing widely to extremes before settling in. Heat in October. Ice on the leaves. Snow on the daffodils. Frost […]
Happy October (and 3 Blogs for 3 Days Without Internet)
Day One: I’ve been in Gettysburg for Cru’s Faculty Common’s conference called “The High Ground at Gettysburg.” I’ve attended this event for the last 15 years with Ashley to learn leadership principles from the battlefield, and I discover something new every year. This year, I’m drawn to the words of President Eisenhower in 1958 (featured […]
A Psalm for the Overwhelmed
I love Psalm 142, and this morning I read it in a version (NASB 1995) that used the one word I hear most from students: overwhelmed. We read this in verse 3. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,You knew my path. I love the simplicity of trusting in God’s knowledge of our journey. When we are […]
On the Day You Call
Today I wrote in my journal Psalm 138:3—the words of David about God. I recorded this: “On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul.” I notice two things: First, God answered on the same day David prayed. I like thinking of praying to God and receiving […]
Simple Pleasures: Chili in a Thermos
It finally feels like autumn here in Pennsylvania. Leaves change; acorns crunch underfoot; the air chills my face. I wake up so excited to pack my lunch. In particular, I love cold days with a thermos full of steaming chili. I look forward to hot tea in the evenings, all the soups, and all the […]
Nothing Like Joy
Today I found myself astonished by Andrew Murray’s words on joy in Abiding in Christ. He writes this: “Abiding fully in Christ is a life of exquisite and overflowing happiness. As Christ gets more complete possession of the soul, it enters into the joy of its Lord. . . We all know the value of […]
A Little Assignment from Psalm 119
I recently talked to a reader about letting God’s word work deeply within you. Then, you have stories to share with others about how God used various passages of scripture to heal you or comfort you. As I read Psalm 119 this morning, I took a highlighter and marked every place where we’re told the […]
Warm and Cozy: A Recipe
For years now, mostly due to the influence of my Danish friends, I’ve learned about the concept of “hygge” which has become more and more popular over the years in the US. My friends taught me about living a warm and cozy life; hygge involves creating spaces for warmth, comfort, nourishment, and peace. A home […]
Rest and Reflection
Today, for no reason at all, I curled up in the grass next to my cat, Louie. He’s allowed to venture into the backyard, and he loves to lounge in the sunshine. The breeze blew; the leaves rustled; the sun glistened. The afternoon passed by. I rested and reflected. I let my mind think about […]
10 Great Questions from a Retired Professor
A friend sends me a professor’s list of favorite questions to ask people. I printed out several pages of his questions and picked my top 10: Enjoy these questions!