Not Just a Footnote
In a tiny little footnote this morning, I read something about four ways to focus our attention when we think about God. I’m rereading Donald Whitney’s book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life–a book I read back in the 90’s one summer at Camp Greystone. Back then, I became so excited to build my adult […]
Today
A snapshot of life on this day: I walked to the coffee shop in the unseasonable warmth with a neighbor. We walked home and drank our coffee. I took my daughter shopping for a few things. I heated the leftover veggie chili for lunch. I took several walks with my daughter, and we talked to […]
Such Blue
Cultivating an Awareness of God
My friend sends me his favorite quote from Elizabeth Barrett Browning from her poem Aurora Leigh. She writes this: “Earth’s crammed with heaven, / And every common bush afire with God; / But only he who sees, takes off his shoes, / The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries, / And daub their natural […]
Raking, Raking, Raking
I rake leaves all day. I rake big piles onto an enormous blue tarp, and then I drag the tarp to the street where I dump the leaves. In our town, a truck comes by to suck up the leaves every week in autumn. It’s amusing to watch this enormous vacuum cleaner snout emerge from […]
We Keep Loving Others
A thought keeps running through my mind. Here: Nothing can stop us from loving our neighbor. Nothing can stop us from caring for others and working in small ways, right where we are, to improve lives. I think of Anne Frank’s beautiful words in her diary: “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single […]
The Comfort of God
This morning, I spent some time reading 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. I love thinking about God as “the God of all comfort.” We read this: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort […]
Happy Birthday to Me
Today I turn 45 years old! What a wonderful day it’s been so far. My favorite birthday ritual involves journaling. If you don’t have a birthday ritual, steal mine! Tell me how it goes. I dream: I think about hopes and fresh goals for the coming year. I reflect: with my Bible in hand, I […]
Swooping Owls
It’s a dark autumn day here. With nearly bare trees and leaves on the path, it feels spooky and mysterious. We gaze up and see a large bird swooping down and then landing in the trees high, high up. An owl? We think the wingspan indicates an owl. Did you know that owls hoot the […]
Now We Bundle Up–No Bad Weather, Just Bad Clothing
We’ve loved our daily “loops” around the neighborhood. Since March, our daily walks have sustained us and provided structure, conversation, reflection time, and a regular mood boost. We’ve gained health, lost weight, and improved our relationships through the daily walk that happens several times a day. But now, with dropping temperatures, more rain, and a […]