Follow the Beak
I’m finding more and more nests. I found the tiniest little sparrow nest that’s still under construction. It’s in a low bush by the sidewalk. It’s nearly impossible to see. Then how did I find it? If you want to find nests, don’t just watch the birds; watch what they carry in their beaks. If […]
All the Purple
I love purple. It’s such an unusual color to see outside. It’s astonishing. I go in search of springtime purple (autumn offers her own deep purple of falling leaves), and I stay awhile, just noticing.
Something that Makes God Happy
I love reading Jeremiah 32 to remember again the heart of God towards us. He loves to do good to His people. He rejoices in doing good things. It makes God happy. I read God’s words here in Jeremiah 32:39-41. He says about His people: I will give them singleness of heart and action, […]
What You Require for Peace, Control, and Security
Today I’m challenged to think differently about idolatry. I discover a question that invites true repentance: “What do I require in my life in order to feel peace, control, and security?” (Thank you to Keith Johnson and his article, “Hearing the Music of the Gospel,” for sparking my thinking.) Did you think about good health, more […]
“Implore that person to tell and tell and tell their story.”
My sister finished her final project for her Reading Specialist Certification from the University of Virginia. She chose to create a teacher’s guide for Thanhha Lai’s powerful prose-poetry book, Inside Out and Back Again, (a semi-autobiographical book about Lai’s experience as a refugee from Vietnam in the 1970’s). I just ordered it! In the author’s […]
With and Not For
Years ago, my husband challenged me to stop doing things for people and to do things with them. That ministry principle changed everything about how I thought about serving others and what it meant to love people, include people, and empower people. And I realized how much I loved the withness–the togetherness, the sharing, the […]
Triumphant, Joyful, Forward-Moving
Today I consider the attitude of the day for someone in Jesus’ guarding care. I enjoyed a wonderful book club meeting last night with some new friends reading Guarded by Christ, and the conversation refreshed my soul. I think of these words: Triumphant. Joyful. Forward-moving. Someone in God’s guarding care experiences victory; God always leads them […]
Perhaps These!
We discover that something snatched our precious eggs. A squirrel? A snake? All four beautiful eggs disappeared. We know the way of nature that feels cruel and senseless. We also know the birds will rebuild elsewhere and attempt again. And we know the itty bitty baby chipmunks emerging from some nearby burrow might grow and […]
A Checking Season
We check for new nests. We check on the berry blossoms. We check the bird feeders. We check on the lavender seeds, the carrot seeds, and the tomatoes growing in cups on the window sill. It’s the Checking Season. We love all the things we check on in spring. We check until the birds fly […]
Under the Ruling Power of Goodness
Lately, all of us around here have had various disappointments, illnesses, and rejections. Early in the week, I tell myself and the family: God is good, and what He does is good. God is good. What He does is good. He can make good out of anything. He is so good. All the time, we […]