Each Lamb Is Loved
Good morning... When I think of a lamb, I think of this sketch. I received a copy of this print after one of our four miscarriages. Instinctively I knew that the soul of the little being inside me had been scooped up and embraced by the loving care of our Lord. What do you notice about this simple sketch? Soft, cozy, cotton-like feel. Bonding, complete, tender care. Mutual delight, love given and received. [...]
Our Lions. Our Lambs.
Good morning... Usually, the lion in me is sleeping. Calm is my style. Peace is my baseline. My roaring lion wakes infrequently, but this week she woke (see the details of these dynamics in our post I Was So Mad). Over happy hour, I was talking with a person I dearly love and out of the blue her inner lion rose up and attacked. [...]
Relationships Come First
Good morning... She prayed over me as we finished our monthly spiritual direction phone call, and her words landed in my open journal: "LORD, these mixed emotions are so tender. There is so much wrapped up in the place where Sue is sitting. We know You are a resurrection God. We don't know what will be resurrected from the death of Sue's dreams." (For details of my angry dilemma, visit our post I Was [...]
Next Time You Are Angry
Good morning... At 7:21 am yesterday, she wrote me in response to our post, I Was So Mad. "I am moved," she said. "This is so strong and authentic, Sue. Thank you for sharing this visceral and vivid depiction of a difficult process. I love the contemporary take on Philippians." Then at 7:23 am she wrote again: "This came to me right after reading your post!" I exchanged her name for mine and [...]
I Was So Mad
Good morning... I was so mad. I was completely caught off guard. Her biting response felt unfair, unjust, underhanded. It was abrupt. It was painful. It was a slap-in-the-face, end-of-discussion. But she had the power. I did not. My anger made it hard to sleep, as Ephesians 4:26 (AMP) explains: Be angry [at sin—at immorality, at injustice, at ungodly behavior], yet do not sin; do not let your anger [cause you shame, nor allow [...]
Our Three Enemies
Good morning... "Morning sweet friend," she texted me this week. "We are headed out the door to walk the dogs, and I'm going to put this little gift on your doorstep." Nearly four hours later she texted again, "Hey there...just checking to see if you found the gift I left on your porch." "Oh, I have been totally immersed in The Blue Book all morning," I finally texted back, "so enthralled that I forgot [...]
Everything Went Wrong
Good morning... "Everything that could go wrong yesterday did," she emailed me, "and this morning didn't start off any better. I felt totally abandoned by God, even though I know He tells us, 'I will never leave or forsake you.'" She was right, God has promises repeatedly, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake [...]
Build Us Up
Good morning... Build us up from inside out. Fortify our interior structure. Together teach us to embody the Prayer of St. Francis, who was born in 1182. Lord, make me an instrument of your peace Where there is hatred, let me sow love Where there is injury, pardon Where there is doubt, faith Where there is despair, hope Where there is darkness, light And where there is sadness, joy O Divine Master, grant [...]
We Are Held Together
Good morning... "I have been drawn to spend less structured time with God during this pandemic," she admits, "but somehow I am sensing God's presence more and more. Quotes from yesterday's post put words to my experience: 'There is no place that Jesus is not.' Jesus is in our hearts, our homes, our world. 'Bidden or not bidden, God is present.' We do not have to beg, to invite, to coerce. God already [...]
This Simple Poster
Good morning... This simple poster caught my eye. "There is no place that Jesus is not." At the depth of my being, I truly believe, "There is no place that Jesus is not." This poster reminds me of a gift I recently gave to a friend, a handcrafted pottery plaque reading, "Bidden or not bidden, God is present." Invited or not, God is here. Wherever, whenever, whomever, Jesus is near. I pray that you [...]
Our First Step Toward Change
Good morning... We are an essential part of God's response to the anguish of this world. We are in God, God is in us, and from this place of intimate connection, giving and taking, loving and being loved, we become God's living presence responding to our hurting world. Henri Nouwen's morning devotional from yesterday tangibly identifies the first step in our process of transformational change. ****** DAILY MEDITATION | JULY 13, 2020 - Creative Reciprocity [...]
Three Scriptures I Love
Good morning... One of my all time favorite Scripture passages is John 6:43-46 in The Message translation. Jesus said, “Don’t bicker among yourselves over me. You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent me is in charge. He draws people to me—that’s the only way you’ll ever come. Only then do I do my work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End. This is what the prophets meant [...]