Good morning... When I was a young mom of four little kids, a wise woman from our church shared an important nugget of wisdom. "Children are not for molding," she said. "Children are for unfolding." Through the change in one single word, God continues to guide me. To me, molding means pushing, shaping, exerting control. The change of [...]
Good morning... Amid the traffic and the long lines snaking through every store, I am convicted once again, "Sometimes less is more." Less worry. Less rushing. Less anger. Less impressing. Less "My way or the highway." God, what might it mean for me to live this day really trusting that less is more? Trust in your money and [...]
Good morning... I woke yesterday to an email from our pastor announcing changes in the United Methodist Church. "In what was a solemn day, members of the 2023 North Georgia Annual Conference ratified the disaffiliation agreements of 261 churches at a Special Called Session," begins the article recounting Saturday's important gathering. Later we learn "...approximately 440 North Georgia [...]
Good morning... As I visited my new nephew in Ohio last week, I went to the bathroom before leaving for the airport to fly back to Atlanta. As I stepped back into their kitchen, I saw the sight above - the hand painted plaque I had commissioned for my sister's son and his wife when they married in [...]
Good morning... We face an unknown future, dependent on the grace of God. What is grace exactly, Lord? a. Divine favor bestowed freely on people. b. The state of having received unearned favor. c. A supernatural power granted unconditionally by God. God is full of grace. From him we have all received grace in place of the grace [...]
Good morning... Beneath this sign posted on a nearby tree, I look down to see a worm struggling wildly on the sidewalk. Flailing. Squirming. Searching for softness. I think to myself, "This is one thing I can do," and I pick up the desperate creature and lay her on a moist patch of grass. In times of chaotic [...]
Good morning... From miles and miles away, she emailed me after yesterday's post, "I'm All Tangled Up." Our heart and head, tangled. Our fear and worry, tangled. Our love and control, tangled. Our anxiety and stress, tangled. Our depression and grief, tangled. Our gray skies and hope, tangled. Our belief and our journey, tangled. We wake toward a [...]
Good morning... "What are you doing with this unreturned library book from Wellington, Florida?" my husband wisely asked as we were cleaning out our messy office. Of course, amid all the discarded used cookbooks, I had been drawn to this quirky paperback on the cluttered shelf at Goodwill. On the front, an image of a handcrafted flower. On [...]
Good morning... To begin our monthly phone call, I was drawn to share these words: "Now if God can take a tiny seed and, in the process of giving it his life, endow it with a knowledge of what is supposed to be; if he can give it the purpose and strength and fruitfulness to not only accomplish [...]
Good morning... As I reflect upon this school year, I am amazed at the growth God has orchestrated at PAWkids in the Grove Park neighborhood of our city. People connected to our Women's Ministry at Northside Church facilitated fun arts and crafts activities in the after school program for two hours every week. Excited kids tapped into their [...]
