The Feast!
I sit in front of a cherry tree. So many birds hang on the branches, and they gobble entire cherries, swallowing them whole in one or two gulps. It’s a joyful, abundant moment. I notice how many kinds of larger birds find refuge here: robins, thrashers, warblers, and sparrows. It’s a feast! The birds stay […]
Some Things Stay the Same
My daughter invites me to play some hand-clapping games with her, and I’m amazed how little they’ve changed! Miss Mary Mack, Billy Boy, Down, Down Baby and so many others have stood the test of time. In the 1980’s on the playground, we stood around and played these hand clapping games. I enjoyed this nostalgic […]
“It is I who hold its pillars firm.”
This morning I read this in Psalm 75: We give thanks to you, O god. We give thanks, for your Name is near. Men tell of your wonderful deeds. . . You say, “When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.” How wonderful to consider the nearness […]
Do the Next Thing
I remember the advice of so many who, when overwhelmed, say, “Just do the next thing.” We don’t need to live this whole life, year, summer, month, or even day all at once. We don’t need to live this whole morning or afternoon. We just need to do the next thing. And the next. And […]
A Prayer for Peace and Order
This morning, I acknowledge that God is a God of peace and not disorder (1 Corinthians 14:33). I recognize that where sin grows, disorder grows along with it (2 Corinthians 12:20; James 3:16). In the original language, disorder means instability, confusion, and disturbance. It’s a restless, upsetting kind of word. I pray for order! I […]
The Climbing Roses, Climbing
Praying to Delight in God’s Will and Commands
This morning, I think more about delighting in God’s will for my life and in His commands. So many times, I don’t particularly delight in obeying or in doing things that I know God has called me to do. Too often, I consider the cost, the inconvenience, and the burdens of new tasks. But what […]
Maybe the Greatest Wish
I think about all the high school graduates in my town. I find myself writing a card that simply prays that this graduate would “keep in step” with God’s spirit. I quote Galatians 5, and I remember from a lifetime of experience that following God leads to peace, joy, hope, freedom, and the life we’ve […]
Ancient Pleasure: The Watermelon
I absolutely love watermelon. In summer, the refrigerator nearly always holds a big bowl of freshly cut watermelon. Today, while standing in the kitchen, I consider, like anyone living with flair, the where and why and how and when. I learn about the 5,000 year history of the watermelon. I read origin stories of this […]
Why We Tell Our Stories
Someone recently asked me why it’s so vital to tell our stories of God’s great work in our lives. Why talk about it? Why write it down? Why share it? Can’t we just keep these stories between God and ourselves? I think about the words God used to send me on a journey of proclamation: […]