When Worries Well Up
Good morning... Worries well-up naturally from our aching gut through our heavy heart to permeate our mixed-up mind. At their essence, worries are simply an invitation into prayer. Let me show you what I mean. For example, instead of incessantly worrying "How am I ever going to homeschool my kids online again this fall semester?" we pray, "God, please help me to rest in You as Your peaceful presence overflows to make our [...]
Hand And Heart
Good morning... "Good morning, Sue," she emailed after yesterday's post Worry Less. Pray More. "I saw this yesterday and thought of it again reading your wise words this morning. XO." With our hand on our beating heart, where the Spirit of God is alive and well, we center ourselves on the only important thing: the peaceful love of God overflowing through us to bring the kingdom of heaven to vibrant life [...]
Worry Less. Pray More.
Good morning... "I am appalled by your blog and photo," the woman commented after yesterday's post. "How can it be true that we all grow up into God over time? That thought is too inclusive." "Too inclusive." The phrase lingered as I woke from sleep. This was a quote not from a real woman, but from a critical voice in my mind, stirring me awake, haunting and taunting. The inner voice was a [...]
We Grow Up
Good morning... Experiencing constant transformation, we are rooted where we are planted, we are undeniably interconnected, and we each grow up into God at our own rate over time. I love this photo which provides a visual expression of our individual lives extending up into the light of the Giver of life. At the time God made Earth and Heaven, before any grasses or shrubs had sprouted from the ground—God hadn’t yet sent [...]
You’ll Be Back
Good morning... Sunday may be the day that feels most different during this world wide pandemic. For many church-goers across the globe who are used to gathering face to face, close together, week by week, online worship has replaced onsite worship for this unusual period of time. Churches are now negotiating, "What will it look like to come back together safely on Sundays?" Think about your own Sunday routine. How have things changed [...]
Be G.L.A.D.
Good morning... As I put my feet in my shoes yesterday, I thoroughly enjoyed a socially distanced walk and talk with a dear, dear friend. She introduced me to an acronym I had never met before, an acronym recently shaping her evening prayer time. G.L.A.D. stands for Grateful. Learning. Accomplish. Delight. She ponders the following questions with God before drifting to sleep. "For what or for whom am I grateful today?" "What new things [...]
A One-Of-A-Kind Celebration
Good morning... Sitting with two of his three siblings, I witnessed our youngest son get his high school diploma. Hidden beneath my mask, can you envision my proud-momma smile? It was certainly a memorable, one-of-a-kind celebration. Outside in the football stadium. Social distanced, wearing masks. 80% chance of rain earlier in the week turned to delightfully cloudy with a bit of a breeze. The much-anticipated event was well organized and painstakingly prepared to [...]
One Peaceful Face
Good morning... "Be Kind" was the title of yesterday's blog post. "Sue," she responded. "This is one of the most profound of all of your posts. It speaks into my unsettled heart. The one that has journaled just now about the chaos of our current time. The out of control acting out behavior running rampant in our country that we were so privileged to believe was built on freedoms and possibilities and higher [...]
Be Kind
Good morning... I puppy-sat briefly while my friend ran to the store. On the counter I noticed a pile of pink napkins. "In a world where you can be anything..." they read. "Be kind." The word "kind" drew me back to a page from the book I met face to face yesterday. Then the word "kind" brought me back to the memory of a visit with another dear friend at the start of [...]
When Our Hearts Hurt
Good morning... I took our two dogs for their annual check up, and guess what book was sitting on the bench as I waited for the vet? The Boy, the Mole, The Fox and the Horse by Charles Mackesy. In late May, I shared a picture of a page from this book passed along by a subscriber and I offered a link to an interview with the fascinating author in our post You [...]
Far Away Friends
Good morning... As I plugged in my phone before climbing into bed, her text message instantly appeared. "Dearest Sue I have missed being in touch with you my friend," she wrote from afar. "I don't have a lot of time this moment because I am working on my mom's memorial service. I have been in Jackson, Mississippi for the last three months caring for her, and she passed this Monday. Such an incredible [...]
What Really Matters?
Good morning... As we wake on the final Sunday of July 2020, our minds meander toward fall. Masks. Social distancing. Balancing our need for safety with our craving for human contact. This will be an audacious autumn. In the shadow of a growing death toll, we are made keenly aware: "Life is short." Will we do stuff that matters? I have heard it said that this pandemic is less of an interrupter and [...]