Good morning... I woke to an email sharing one of my favorite poems. ****** "The Guest House" by Rumi This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who [...]
Good morning... "Sue," she wrote yesterday from Jacksonville, Florida. "I'm getting chills reading today's reflection, He Closed His Eyes. When I pressed play and heard Christy Nockel's stunning, distinctive voice, I was brought back to my Mom's final moments last Valentine's Day as I played Christy's version of 'Be Thou My Vision.' Mom was ushered on to heaven [...]
Good morning... "Mom, don't you get drained with so many hurting people depending on you?" asked our daughter Tessa, as she saw me texting and talking with a handful of people going through some really hard things. "No, actually, it is a great privilege to walk closely with people through the challenges of life," I heard myself say. [...]
Good morning... Just before 6:00 o'clock in the middle of a busy week, the grocery store line was long, slow, ugh. After a full day of good work, I was ready to get home, ready to relax, ready to unwind, please. Finally walking out to my car, I noticed the setting sun sinking beneath the rising moon. "Stop. [...]
Good morning... As I woke in the dark, I was drawn outside to water our very, very thirsty plants. The brilliant light of the moon and the stars startled me amazed. I snapped a photo, turned on the sprinkler, and, beside our two dogs, I sipped on my coffee beneath our back porch. "God, what is mine to [...]
Good morning... For years, I have been asked to be the kick-off speaker for the "Lovett Moms In Prayer" group each fall. What an annual delight! Yesterday was the day, and I spoke with a roomful of young mothers who have high hopes for this new school year. I was asked to share our "fleece" story from the [...]
Good morning... Last Tuesday was a doozy. Volunteering to help a friend who was moving, I offered to take her final leftover things to a Christian consignment store near us. Driving over, I thought to myself, "Might this be a side ministry God is directing me towards?" I can certainly pick up donated stuff from friends and transporting [...]
Good morning... Sarah Otto, the Retreat and Program Director at Ignatius House Retreat Center, reached out to me on Tuesday morning. "I realize I didn't text you about an upcoming ISP retreat!" she wrote. (Remember, ISP stands for Ignatian Spirituality Project, a program which offers quarterly spiritual retreats for people recovering from homelessness and addiction in our community). [...]
Good morning... Our friend read this poem aloud to us over the phone. Now might we read these tender words aloud to ourselves? ****** have courage to be a beginner entrust your time to telling a tale in which the ending is veiled. build patience for the harsh voice inside; she is still a child who believes perfection [...]
Good morning... "I shared this on Facebook on Wednesday," emailed a longtime friend. ****** For those facing loss today . . LOVE CAME FIRST "You don’t move on after loss, but you must move with. You must shake hands with grief, welcome her in, for she lives with you now. Pull her a chair at the table and [...]
