Now It Springs Up
Notice, if you will, the secret vernal pond. Springing up every spring, it houses thousands of frog and salamander eggs. Notice the white puffs on the water; these eggs will hatch soon. Notice the hidden pond as I approach through dense trees. I think of Isaiah 43:18-19 “Do not call to mind the former things, […]
Many and Bitter
I love Psalm 71:19-21, and I even scribbled it on a page from my prayer journal to give to a friend who is having a hard time today. It says: Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God? Though you have made me see troubles, many […]
Anaideia Praying
I’m reading in Luke 11:8 where Jesus tells the story of the shameless, imprudent, bold, rash friend who dares to make a totally selfish and inappropriate middle-of-the-night request for bread to feed his guests. Jesus says that we should ask God for what we need in this same manner. Essentially, Jesus invites us to ask […]
What You Need Might Be Different From What They Need
It’s been a wonderful parenting opportunity to let Merlin heal. My daughters have to remember that to him, the isolated bathroom is peaceful and lovely. It’s a cat’s dream. To us, it’s lonely, dark, and terrible. To us, it’s misery. My daughters want to storm the room and snuggle Merlin. They want to smother him with […]
Intensive Care: A Lesson from Merlin the Cat
Our dear cat, Merlin, has vertigo from what the vet thinks is an ear infection. He can’t walk and just falls over to one side. He won’t eat. He won’t socialize. The vet gives us medication to heal him and help him eat, and then he provides the instructions for healing. We’re told to keep […]
Taking the Post, Singing the Song
My husband and I stand at the kitchen window and watch the return of the Northern Cardinals who have nested in our backyard for at least 5 years. They feed seeds to one another and sing the most beautiful songs. Soon, they’ll build that nest and lay those exquisite eggs. I discover this video below […]
Some Years Are Like That
We wake up to snow on the cherry blossoms–in April! But we know how to find the flair: it’s strange and whimsical and memorable. It’s the year about which we’ll always remark, “Remember that spring snow on the Weeping Cherry?” And we will.
Why It’s Good
My students discuss why it’s often so difficult to articulate why we love or don’t love some film, product, song, or book. We know we love it (or don’t) but we can’t say why. Furthermore, we discuss how our criteria for evaluation showcase interesting points about what we value as a culture. When I survey students regarding […]
Fret Not
I found another great verb in Psalm 37: fret. Three times in this psalm, we’re told to “fret not” or “do not fret.” I learn that to fret means to burn inside like fire. It suggests becoming angry, vexed, and kindled. I love the command do not fret. David tells us we don’t need to worry about […]
The Joy We Found: 10 Ideas for Your Neighborhood
Last night, I shared some ideas for building a neighborhood with a friend who will move to a house in a few months. After all these years, I rejoiced about so many beautiful things that happened in the one-mile radius around my home in Pennsylvania. Oh, the things we’ve all experienced together because we chose […]