Summer Writing Dreams
As you know, I love encouraging writers. As June 1st approaches, I wondered if you had a writing dream in your heart for the summer. What if you wrote a novel or a devotional book? What if you wrote an article for a magazine? What if you wrote down some of your favorite memories or […]
The Garden So Far
Normally in Pennsylvania, you’d want to plant your garden at the very end of May; I planted too soon because I started my seedlings too soon. This means I had to protect the plants from frost by covering them at night. My tomatoes are “leggy,” but my beans, chives, and cilantro all look great. Cilantro […]
The Way of Nature
Something ate our baby robins! Most likely, a big crow feasted on them. We stand there by the nest, so saddened. We wonder if the mother is sad. Does she mourn? What does she do now? We realize it’s the way of nature; sometimes, this happens. The birds shall build another nest in another location […]
Protect the Fledglings!
It’s almost time for my sparrows (and that one cowbird) to fledge. I love the verb “fledge.” It means to leave the nest. Any day now! It’s both an exciting and terrifying moment. Think of the vulnerability. Think of the danger. The baby birds will hop around a bit, test out their wings, and hop […]
An Idol Present
I’m learning to detect the presence of idols in my heart. I think about this as I read Acts 17:16. We read this: “Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.” I think about Paul and his “provoked […]
The Lady Slipper Orchids
For the past ten years, I’ve learned to look carefully–right during this very week in May–for the secret lady slipper orchids. They bloom deep in the forest, but you have to look. You have to seek them like rare, hidden treasures. You’ll miss them if you walk by too quickly. It’s odd that they blend […]
When the Lilac Blooms
The entire backyard smells of sweet lilac. We long for the day in May when the lilac blooms!
The Cool of the Evening
It’s unseasonably hot in Pennsylvania, so we shift our walking and hiking to the cool evening hours. I discover the benefits of evening walking at dusk: the setting sun casts beautiful golden beams (and later, it leaves the most stunning dark blue sky); the animals come out (deer, owls, rabbits); the traffic and daytime sounds […]
Not Always Where You Belong
While watering the garden this morning, I noticed that dill plants have sprouted up everywhere: in the pots, by the tomatoes, around the border of the vegetable garden. The dill was supposed to stay neatly within its raised boxed garden by the fence. Dill does not listen. Dill does not obey. I didn’t account for […]
Enter Like This
This morning, I noted some special instructions about entering the presence of the Lord. Now I know we can enter God’s presence with confidence–at any time and in any condition–because of Jesus. Consider Hebrews 10:9: “Therefore, brothers and sisters. . .we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus” and […]