Category: Posts

An Idol Present

I’m learning to detect the presence of idols in my heart. I think about this as I read Acts 17:16. We read this: “Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.” I think about Paul and his “provoked […]

The Lady Slipper Orchids

For the past ten years, I’ve learned to look carefully–right during this very week in May–for the secret lady slipper orchids. They bloom deep in the forest, but you have to look. You have to seek them like rare, hidden treasures. You’ll miss them if you walk by too quickly. It’s odd that they blend […]

When the Lilac Blooms

The entire backyard smells of sweet lilac. We long for the day in May when the lilac blooms!

The Cool of the Evening

It’s unseasonably hot in Pennsylvania, so we shift our walking and hiking to the cool evening hours. I discover the benefits of evening walking at dusk: the setting sun casts beautiful golden beams (and later, it leaves the most stunning dark blue sky); the animals come out (deer, owls, rabbits); the traffic and daytime sounds […]

Not Always Where You Belong

While watering the garden this morning, I noticed that dill plants have sprouted up everywhere: in the pots, by the tomatoes, around the border of the vegetable garden. The dill was supposed to stay neatly within its raised boxed garden by the fence. Dill does not listen. Dill does not obey. I didn’t account for […]

Enter Like This

This morning, I noted some special instructions about entering the presence of the Lord. Now I know we can enter God’s presence with confidence–at any time and in any condition–because of Jesus. Consider Hebrews 10:9: “Therefore, brothers and sisters. . .we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus” and […]

Getting Moving in the Morning

I talk to students often about starting a great morning routine. They agree that a morning routine makes all the difference in shaping a great day. Some students wake up 2 minutes before class, race across campus, and dive into their seats. They stay frazzled the rest of the day. Others wake up 2 hours […]

Sparrows and Robins Together

In the winterberry bush, a robin built her nest right next to the sparrow nest. I suppose our attempts to woo birds to the backyard worked indeed! We provided nesting materials (twigs, hair, twine, grasses), a bird bath, and plenty of birdseed. We also have a fence that keeps out most wildlife. Perhaps best of […]