Good morning... Settling in to do Saturday yard work, I discovered the sign above. It magically appeared in our yard overnight, delivered personally, planted by hand, with all good intentions. But, surprisingly, this kind gesture made me sad. Really sad. Like any strong feeling, I took time to process, "God, why does this symbol of academic achievement step [...]
Good morning... Just after sending you yesterday's photo of the frigid, frozen Norwegian landscape outside one subscriber's front door, I opened Henri Nouwen's morning message to be greeted by the luxurious photo above. What a gorgeous contrast. Land, white snow versus green grass. Sky, winter grey versus springtime blue. Feeling, chilly cold versus welcoming warmth. God's breathtaking beauty [...]
Good morning... Many are in habit of "giving something up for Lent," but all of us have unexpectedly given up much more than chocolate for Lent 2020. We have given up NBA basketball, the March Madness tournament, and fantasy sports leagues that offer delightful distraction. We have given up time with friends, big group gatherings, hugs, touches, and [...]
Good morning... I remember a poem read at the funeral of a dear friend who died of cancer. I search for it, I find it, and I adapt it to meet the deep need spreading across our globe today. ****** An adaptation of "What Cancer Cannot Do" by Dr. Robert L. Lynn Coronavirus is so limited... It cannot [...]
Good morning... With the Coronavirus changing life so rapidly, last Friday morning I didn't know if women would want to gather in our living room to discuss chapters 9 and 10 in The Hidden Life Awakened. So I sent out an email polling people's opinions about meeting for our weekly class. A few women were nursing a cold [...]
Good morning... This Sabbath Sunday is a unique one. As our bodies are held still at home, we refrain from gathering in large groups. Distancing from our normal "Cat in the Hat" balancing act, we slow down. We stay in. We sense God with our soul: "You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand [...]
Good morning... Certainly our anxieties could run rampant, with a deadly tornado suddenly ravaging Nashville, the wildfire spread of the Coronavirus, and the biggest drop in one day seen by the Stockmarket. Yet overwhelming anxiety is not our only option. Beloved author Max Lucado says, “Anxiety and gratitude cannot share the same heart.” I actually think anxiety and gratitude [...]
Good morning... Leading a yoga class on the beach, the instructor said an interesting phrase, "Surrender. Do nothing but allow..." I have never really considered the practical definition of surrender. When I look it up now, I discover these addition phrases. Stop resisting an enemy. Submit to the authority of an opponent. Give into the powerful influence of another. [...]
Good morning... As I have invested hours upon hours creating a companion journal for our upcoming "Awake To Wholeness" Women's Retreat, I ran across these very life-giving words: "Only those who have confronted their pride and come to humility fully experience harmony in relationship with God, with others, and with self," says ninety-four year old Christian mystic Betty Skinner. [...]
Good morning... Her dear friend quickly became her quiet enemy. She was hoping for one thing, closeness, connection, and collaboration, and she received the opposite, distance, disconnection, and disappointment. Facing a weekend she dreaded, her heart was filled with jealousy and frustration, anger and angst. This is when God dropped a perfect podcast onto her path. Feeling cared for [...]
