Take Time To See
Good morning... Georgia O'Keefe once said astutely, "In a way, nobody sees a flower really, it is so small, we haven't time --- and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time." It takes time to see, to befriend, and to discern the voice of God. Scripture says it this way: “Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence [...]
God’s Power Gushes
Good morning... Jesus says, "...The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life," says John 4:14b in the Message translation. My brain wonders, "What is an artesian spring?" Googling, I learn that "artesian" is the upward movement of water under hydrostatic pressure from beneath the earth's surface. Spring water under "artesian" pressure gushes through a crack, a fissure, an opening in the surface. Such springs flow because the [...]
Alive In Interesting Times
Good morning... "Surely the Chinese curse is upon us: 'May you live in interesting times!'" writes Margaret Silf, author of The Other Side of Chaos, one of the books we are studying in my living room this semester. "And the ideogram for crisis also comes to mind, with its combination of the symbols representing 'danger' and 'opportunity' - a combination we might see reflected all around us in our world today, to say nothing [...]
God Is Growing A Harvest
Good morning... As Hillary Clinton stood in purple at the podium giving her concession speech to our nation, she referenced a familiar Bible verse: Let us not become weary in doing good. Later scouring Scripture, I found my way to the reference and to it's biblical context. Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring [...]
God Converts Weeping Into Laughter
Good morning... I went to a movie with one of my best girlfriends this weekend. Miss You Already, starring Drew Barrymore, is very moving, raw and real. The story chronicles the journey of two lifelong friends, through flawed relationships and infertility, through cancer and childbirth, through love that hurts and love that heals. Many in the theater were quietly weeping as the experiences on screen mirrored some of our own. This is not a [...]
What Will Inspire Today?
Good morning... I prayed in bed for a long, long time before getting up to make coffee. I fell asleep last night to the din of election results, rolling in, rolling in, neck and neck. Strangely, right now I am savoring not knowing who won, sort of like when I was pregnant and did not know the answer, "Boy or girl?," until the very moment of delivery. Is our next President a boy or [...]
Election Day Peace
Good morning... "What a privilege," I thought to myself as I stood 38th in line, waiting for the polls to open. Calm was the crowd. Spouses chatted quietly. Neighbors caught up. How grateful I am for our peaceful process of electing our next President, our supporting Senators, and our community's Congressmen. No violence. No protests. No taking political matters into bloodied hands, like we often see broadcast from countries around the globe. "What a [...]
Yesterday’s Beautiful Bookends
Good morning... Driving somewhere in the middle of Alabama, I was singing songs to the company of the Christian radio station. To my amazement, the Scripture verses which had greeted me in the morning came through my car speaker to bookend my night. Before the rising of the sun, God had drawn me to this unfamiliar-to-me passage during my time of prayerful pondering. The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray [...]
Come To The Vineyard To Pray
Good morning... “None can believe how powerful prayer is and what it is able to effect but those who have learned it by experience,” commented Martin Luther. Northside Methodist Church, where I am privileged to be the Women's Ministry Director, is inviting our community to experience prayer's power during a "Prayers for Our Nation" service tonight, November 6th at 5:00 pm in the Sanctuary. We will unite together and seek God's guidance as we [...]
Fan Into Flame
Good morning... "Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God," observes Leo Buscaglia. I know I have heard those words before, but they took on a deeper meaning as I read aloud the following words to our captivated class. "Let me sum up what I've learned about creativity from the world of Wholehearted living and loving: 1) 'I'm not very creative' doesn't work. There's [...]
Welcome To Holland
Good morning... Today many of our hearts hurt for an autistic boy who is forced to bury his father after a tragic death. A mother of another autistic child in our community introduced me to a story, a story that teaches us all about loving the unique life sitting upon our lap. "Welcome to Holland" is a thought-provoking, creative way to celebrate Plan B. ****** Welcome to Holland by Emily Perl Kingsley I am [...]
Trusting The Tightrope Of Transparency
Good morning... Each day I write along the tender tightrope spanning transparency and trust. Developing trust in our living LORD, in God's Holy Spirit power, my vulnerable fingers need to listen well for wisdom. Encouraging transparency in myself and other people, I share the raw-real, expanding edge of my imperfect self. On the cusp between my conscious and unconscious self, I am now taught a vital lesson from Mary, Jesus' mom. To an ordinary, [...]