Good morning... Whenever I think of July 2025, two words will always come to mind. Grief and Galapagos. In June, the daughter of my dear friend, Audrey DeShetler, went to heaven the day before her twentieth birthday. Then, within the same week, our family put to sleep our beloved dog, Tate. Both Audrey and Tate battled cancer. Both [...]
Good morning... Please savor with me this delicious summer poem. ****** "Tomatoes" by Joy Sullivan I waited so long for love and suddenly, here it is standing in the garden, hands full of heirlooms hot from the sun. Soon we’ll make a supper of them. Salted slabs between slices of bread. Your beard silvers. My hips ripen. The [...]
Good morning... This unique 4th of July, I truly believe there's room on the porch for everyone. Come on up! Lingering as we wake is a portion of our prayer from yesterday's post: May we find ourselves reminded that we belong to one another. Neighbors. Strangers. Friends. All wrapped up together in this web of beautiful, terrible inter-dependence. [...]
Good morning... Month after month, day by day, our written word community prayed diligently for Elizabeth, a creative mom of three, an incredible wife, and a kind friend to so many. One year ago today, Elizabeth's cancer journey invited her into her heavenly home. Revisiting her beautiful obituary helps us to remember Elizabeth's vibrant life and her bottomless [...]
Good morning... Snapping this interesting photo on our hike yesterday, I thought "Creativity bonds us." Then, I thought back on an email I received earlier in the morning. "Hi," wrote a friend. "I enjoyed the video about the 87 year old woman who composed a piano piece while grieving the loss of her husband. Before opening your message [...]
Good morning... After her husband dies, 87 year old Diana composes a new dream. May He grant the dreams of your heart and see your plans through to the end (Psalm 20:4, VOICE). ...Sue...
Good morning... Allowing our nine-year-old, cancer-riddled dog to go to sleep at the vet's office yesterday, I trusted that Tate woke up immediately in heaven. Until this image came in from my golden-retriever-loving friend, I did not feel, in my every cell my being, the full force of God's resurrection power. What joy! What intimacy! What eternal oneness [...]
Good morning... The full moon peeks through our window pane, piercing through the trees, partnering with the dark of night. I catch a glimpse and am drawn outside. Wet grass. Bare feet. A perfect pairing on my parents' 65th wedding anniversary. I have returned to Atlanta, Georgia, with special memories lingering from my nine day visit with my [...]
Good morning... As we relax into my parent's independent living villa in Ohio, I feel deeply at home. How grateful I am for my mom's ability to return to this special space after weeks in the care center, recovering from two falls, an RSV diagnosis, a scary ICU stay, and a nasty bout of pneumonia. With help from [...]
Good morning... For nearly fifteen years, the members of Northside Church have been praying diligently for Audrey DeShetler, Sunday after Sunday. We have closely tracked her journey with a childhood cancer called neuroblastoma. Diagnosed at age five, Audrey has pushed through treatment after treatment, relapse after relapse, until now Audrey is a wise nineteen years old young woman. [...]
