Good morning... Tomorrow, our faithful family at Northside Church is celebrating 75 fertile years of sharing the love of Christ. I love the logo designed by our talented Creative Art department, especially the winding river of stones pouring through the centered cross of Christ. This "river of life" adorns the floor in Northside's sacred prayer chapel. I believe [...]
Good morning... My parents wake in Ohio awaiting Thursday's doctor visit, hoping for positive scan results and a clear treatment plan for my dad's prostate cancer. The DeShetler family and college friends wake at Notre Dame following last night's moving mass which honored the eternal life of Audrey. This morning, fifteen women recovering from homelessness and addiction wake [...]
Good morning... As I parked my car at PAWkids, my favorite non-profit downtown, I hesitated a moment. Looking down, I saw the word love living in the gravel. At a time in our world where turmoil abounds, I hesitated and noticed love. My mind now returns to a Mary Oliver poem. ****** Don't Hesitate If you suddenly and [...]
Good morning... Yesterday afternoon, I spent quality time with a friend who grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She's been to Annunciation Catholic School where this week's school shooting took place. She described loving her hometown and the people with whom she grew up. One high school classmate, Mark Donicht, is now a published author who writes under the [...]
DeeplGood morning... "Joy and sorrow will always be linked," writes author Kay Warren. "And in the strange paradox of the universe, at the exact moment you and I are experiencing pain, we are also aware of the sweetness of loving and the beauty still to be found." I reread those words from yesterday's post, and I noticed the [...]
Good morning... Yesterday morning I blogged about A Dog And My Dad. Then in the afternoon, I opened the brown cardboard package that arrived on our doorstep. A loving book, pictured above, greeted me with aging-dog eyes. Awww. A golden retriever, so much like our deeply-missed Tate. No card. Kind gift. No name. God, who is this from? [...]
Good morning... As we near 2:00 am, I take outside our little dog Gracie and stand barefoot in the wet, cool grass. As I look up, thick clouds surround the waning moon. Stretched wide and thin, the white vapors open space, a breathing room for blue. Blue. Cloudy. Stretched wide and thin. These descriptors animate the text string [...]
Good morning... On June 17th, we put our dog Tate to sleep. Now, eight weeks into her absence from our home, our family is still really missing her soft presence. This weekend I happened upon an award winning short film, a touching film that made me smile, laugh, cry. [...]
Good morning... The Westminster Class of 2024 hosted a gathering to honor the memory of Audrey DeShetler on Wednesday, August 6th, celebrating her impact on their class and our community far and wide. The next day, I texted with Audrey's mom. Me: How was the gathering, Jennifer? Jennifer: I literally started crying before the service even started. I [...]
Good morning... “What kills a soul?" asks Shauna Niequist author of Present Over Perfect. She answers herself: "Exhaustion, secret-keeping, image management." "And what brings a soul back from the dead?" she wonders. "Honesty, connection, grace.” For me, what will it be? Exhaustion. Secret-keeping. Image management. Honesty. Connection. Grace. As I notice where my heart is drawn, I focus [...]
