Growing
The Consecration of June
This morning I read EM Bounds’ essay on consecration. This part spoke to me most of all: Prayer is the one thing prominent in a consecrated life. Consecration is much more than a life of so-called service. It is a life of personal holiness, first of all. It is that which brings spiritual power into the heart […]
When the Roses Bloom
It’s a new morning, with new mercies, new joys, and new hope. I see the first pop of color on the trellis covered in climbing roses. Each new day, gifts arrive.
Snug
A Lesson from the Wise on Happiness
My 85 year old friend and mentor, the one who invites me to the senior citizen lunch (and I go), and who gives me books by A.W. Tozer, and who calls to read the Bible to me and to make sure I’m doing well and spreading the fragrance of Christ, telephones with an astonishing statement. […]
Remember the Treasures of Darkness
For whatever reason, I found myself in the worst mood ever a few days ago. These dark moments always send me into a tailspin that depression will return, that I’ll never get better, and that I’ll forever be lost to myself. These feelings prompted the book Guarded by Christ because I needed to remember the […]
When You’re Left With You
I always feel a twinge of sadness on this weekend because I miss the days of swimming at the pool with little girls, running through the sprinkler, and eating sweet popsicles. It’s so different with teenagers. Although we still have wonderful family times, I find myself more alone in the house. Teens move outward, and […]
Improving or Enjoying?
Today I discover this quote by author E.B. White: “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” My husband and I laugh with understanding. It’s the weekend dilemma: does he work in the yard or […]
And Another Thing: It’s Not Forever
I glean a final lesson from the Mother Robin: her work will indeed end. It’s not forever. I watch her gentle movements on her nest, and I let myself think of the burden, the boredom, and even the discomfort of certain seasons of life, especially the mothering of young children. Then I remember that it’s so […]
The Lady’s Slippers Have Bloomed in the Forest
I wander the woods in search of the blooming Lady’s Slipper Orchids, and today I find them. If you remember, eight years ago, I learned what it meant to live in community right where I am when I first discovered them. You can read the post here. Today, I learn a little about the Native […]