A Little Pattern in Psalm 80
This morning, as I read Psalm 80, I note a pattern of God at work. The psalmist writes in verse 8-11 (and refers to the Israelites as a “vine”): You transplanted a vine from Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. The […]
In This Moment
It’s a strange March: we count icicles hanging dangerously off rooftops, some three-feet long and growing; we slide on ice and turn back with our chins tight to our chests as we endure bitter wind and drive to school instead; we think about hot chocolate and sleds. But it’s all wrong. We had already, hadn’t […]
An Italian Mama Lesson: The Miracle of the Meal
I recently invited a graduate student to join us for our family dinner. I’m on the phone with the Italian Mama, and I’m telling her how this student asked with astonishment if I prepare family dinner like this every night. She sounded like I once did when I complained to the Italian Mama about the time commitment and […]
Snow Days–Again
The neighborhood today! We walked everywhere we needed to go.
Fresh Encounters
What my husband and daughter expressed most of all regarding their mission trip was a fresh encounter with God, His love, His power, and His work. They glowed from it. I realize the importance of fresh encounters with God. Sometimes, I know we rely on past experience, past emotions, past revelations. Instead, we aim to […]
5 Questions to Ask Friends When They Return From Mission Trips (or Any Trips)
My husband and oldest daughter return from their mission trip today! Today’s the day! We’ve had no contact except for a 1 minute phone call on his birthday. I’m so excited to reconnect. I’m visiting with my friend who reminds me of this post I wrote last year. I had been worried about what to […]
Begin Something
As we wait for my husband and daughter to return for their mission trip, we reflect on our spring break week of being together: we baked and visited friends, we traveled to neighboring towns, we shopped and ate at a restaurant or two, entertained neighbors, new friends, and old friends, and accepted invitations for adventures. […]
Ordinary Thanks
This morning I rejoiced in ordinary neighborhood living that makes my heart explode with delight. I walked my neighbor’s dog (the one named Peanut who looks just like a peanut) in the fresh snowfall and laughed at how the falling snow made a coat of cottony white that he didn’t shake off. Happy dogs in […]
Small Things, Barely There
When you walk in the early morning, you hear all the birds. And if you seek the origin of the beautiful songs, you find that the loudest songs that carry over the whole neighborhood come from the tiniest birds. The small, hidden thing up in those branches, barely there, proclaims. With apparently no relation to […]
An Explanation: Disruption Will Come!
I apologize for the missing blog posts these past few days! My site was moving to a new hosting service, and with these sorts of things come disruption and lost posts. I’ve learned it’s all part of growth and good movement. Disruption, it seems, has become a theme in my life and in the lives […]