Category: Posts

A New Way

This morning I remembered Galatians 5. When I think of the pain happening all over the world through racism, hatred, division, and how we do not love our neighbors well, I think of how we cannot fix ourselves. The Holy Spirit can fix what’s wrong. Paul writes that we are to always “serve one another […]

What You Need

I read in Matthew 6:8 about praying simply. But what strikes me afresh are Jesus’s words that “your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” I think about how God knows what we need already, even if we do not know what we need. Sometimes we don’t know what we need. We think […]

Wading

Today, the temperature reached 88 degrees (so hot for Pennsylvania this time of year!). I walked by Spring Creek and then, of course, decided to walk in Spring Creek. Sometimes, you must get into the creek just as you did when you were younger. The water was refreshing and cold as it raced around my […]

No Parade. No Pies. But We Were Free.

For the first time, we didn’t travel down to the Boalsburg Memorial Day. We didn’t eat hot dogs from the Boy Scouts, listen to the band, or watch the dancers in square. We didn’t eat winning pies from the annual pie contest. We didn’t wander the streets and greet all our friends and neighbors. But […]

Settle Down. Plant.

Because I’m spending so much time gardening, I’m tending to notice all of the gardening imagery in the Bible. It all began with Jeremiah–a book I read last week as part of my chronological reading plan (which I highly recommend!). I was beginning to make all sorts of comparisons to our current reality as a […]

Walk After Rain

My friend and walking partner told me that a beautiful mist had settled over Spring Creek. It was evening–nearing 8:00 PM–but my oldest daughter and I ventured out with umbrellas and hats to walk along the creek just as the rain stopped. I wanted to walk along a misty creek just for the enchanted feeling […]

Little By Little (Again)

I know I’ve reflected on the concept of little by little growth and little by little living. But today, I think of it again as I’m building a new course for the Honor’s College at Penn State. Because no one can predict what will happen yet in the fall semester, I’m designing week-by-week modules where […]

Living Off the Land

I weeded for DAYS and DAYS! And I loved it. I now have a beautiful little backyard garden with cucumber, beans, tomatoes, eggplant, basil, Brussels sprouts, peppers, dill, parsley, and chives. I’ve learned to stay rooted to the place God puts you. In my case, it’s Pennsylvania. Here, people do indeed live off the land. […]

Mature and Complete

This morning, I remembered James 1:4-5. Look at this in light of your situation today: Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:4-5 […]