Good morning... Up in the middle of this night, I revisit some of my favorite photos from my week of watching our grandson Charlie. Learning that Charlie slept best in my arms and wanting to offer undisturbed time to our daughter-in-law Chandler, I spent several hours a day sitting beneath Charlie's sleeping body. I noticed the passage of [...]
Good morning... With our son out of town at a work conference for the first time since becoming a daddy and our daughter-in-law doing the flowers for a large wedding in Athens, Georgia, I was needed as a grandmother to care for 11-week-old Charlie. Honestly, my first focus was our daughter-in-law Chandler. For her to feel my hands-on [...]
Good morning... When I shared this image in yesterday's blog post, a friend responded, "I love this reframing of hanging on by a thread!" "I'm reminded of William Stafford's poem The Way It Is," she continued. "What a reassurance to know there is a God and a power for us we can hold onto and never let go." [...]
Good morning... This week, two friends are heading into surgery. They will step through the anxious uncertainty to arrive on the other side ready to heal into wholeness. Right away, God's healing power will be actively at work. Hang on to that thread. This week, two of my dear friends will be going through divorce mediation. The dream [...]
Good morning... This, the first day of August, marks a change of season for many families in our community. This month, summer quietly comes to an end and the school year too soon begins. What a perfect time to look closely at who we are becoming. Becoming who we really are, we consider these three questions today. How [...]
Good morning... Sharing how she felt about her recent break up after six years of dating, our daughter began reading aloud a quote she had just posted. "Give it everything you've got, then let go. Show up fully. Take the risk. Have the hard conversation..." her voice trailed off into tears. "You read it," she said. So I [...]
Good morning... "I love the image of Jesus’ outstretched hand ❤️," she wrote after yesterday's post. "Right now I have had some devastating weeks with complications after my cancer treatment. Slowly recovering and welcoming all medical and psychosocial support. 🙏 Been in hospital for 9 days surrounded by love and dedication. Love, Margit." You might remember Margit, my [...]
Good morning... Loss. Surgery. Rehab. Divorce. Caretaking. Health challenges. Alzheimers. Addiction. Heartbreak. Many of us are facing many hard things. "I am claiming these words these next days," one friend wrote to our Sunday afternoon class. "If you are betwixt, if you are between, if you are in the midst and the middle and the muck, if you [...]
Good morning... She mentioned a line from a poem by John O'Donohue. I searched and discovered the poem in its entirety. Featured in To Bless the Space Between Us, this beautiful writing offers us solace by suggesting that our deceased loved one remains present in our hearts. ****** On the death of the beloved: Blessing and Funeral Poem [...]
Good morning... Today we will gather to honor the tender life of Jessica Martin. The simple quote above captures her essence. Jess loved very, very deeply. She listened attentively. She whispered prayers often. When moments of peace settled in, she fully embraced them. Jess gave her time to God and to the people who mattered most. Her very [...]
