More than Watchmen
I read Psalm 130:5-6 6 and note the beautiful repetition of a certain line. We read this: I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. Think of how watchmen on a […]
Another
Today I dropped my youngest daughter off to school and noticed the increased police presence. More precautions. More safety measures. I hated what the change meant: another school shooting somewhere in the nation. And this means another email from the superintendent. Another conversation about staying alert at school and reporting any suspicious activity. Another day […]
The Crushing that Saves You
Whenever the lilacs bloom, I remember one of my all time favorite Live with Flair posts from from May 2014. I’ve reproduced an excerpt here for you to consider: So You’d Get What You Really Needed: Another Message About Suffering I discover that the lilac stem is so tough and so thick that it’s nearly impossible for those stems […]
Less Talking. More Praying.
Last night I attended our church’s Sunday nightprayer service. What a sweet time to stay still and silent before the Lord and pray! Lately, more and more, I’ve wanted to enjoy more times of stillness and silence. Perhaps it’s the nature of getting older. Perhaps it’s a deep burden for people. Perhaps it’s because I […]
A Moment from Galatians: Set Apart and Called
This morning, I read Galatians 1 and stayed for a while with verses 15-16. I notice, of course, the verbs. Notice how Paul understands his life: “But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach […]
After Damage, Strength
My neighbor calls out a hearty hello and informs me that she planted a plum tree in her side yard, inspired by my own growing orchard. But alas, I report: I tell her that my second plum tree–the one in the pot on the back deck–suffered great damage in the last late snowfall and all […]
Tips on Finding the Pink Lady Slipper Orchids in the Forest
I’ve been hunting for these Pink Lady Slipper Orchids since 2011 when my neighbor showed me where to find them in the Pennsylvania woods behind my house in Park Forest. I find them every year. Here’s what I learned: don’t look for the orchid bloom. The stunning pink bloom has a way of strangely blending […]
So Lush
My friend who arrived to Pennsylvania from out west said the first word that came to her mind was the word “lush.” As the rain gave way to sun just now, the whole world felt lush. What a rich, luxurious life!
Only For As Long As You Want To
What’s great about growing older involves not caring what other people think so much. You do things for the joy of it, not to keep up, put on airs, or prove yourself in any way. It’s a liberating way to live. Today I decided to work in my garden. Nobody made me, and it didn’t […]
The Task: Grow in Divine Love
I love this sentence by Hannah Whitall Smith: “The soul must grow in the apprehension of divine love day by day, entrust everything to its care, and have no shadow of doubt but that it will surely order all things well.” Apprehend. Entrust. Have no doubt. God invites us to entrust everything to Him and […]