Mother May I?
Good morning... Jesus promises, "...in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]" (John 16:33, AMP). As I read this passage, one word sparkles in a brand new way. The word "may" is illuminated in my heart's eye. Jesus says, "...in Me you [...]
Baseball Buddies
Good morning... Walk. Bunt. Balk. These words fill my phone this morning. Bases load. Strike out. Home run. All of my years (from ages fourteen to twenty-two) of scoring little league, softball, and baseball for our hometown recreation department came in quite handy last night. Full count. Pop fly. Wild pitch. An avid baseball fan, my friend with cancer could not be at the final game of the high school state tournament last night, [...]
Remember Our BIG God
Good morning... I was on an elliptical machine in the hotel fitness room in Asheville, N.C. when my phone signaled her group text. Throughout the day, five of us Bible study friends had been texting support, encouraging our friend whose ten year old daughter was undergoing her six month scans for the cancer she has battled for the past five years. As always, we prayed that the scans would reveal three sweet letters: N.E.D. (No [...]
Celebrating God’s Work Of Art
Good morning... Twenty-nine years ago today, I woke up in Ohio on my wedding day. Excitement and nerves. Family and friends. Fears and hopes. I woke to it all. I remember getting my hair done after taking a mid-morning nap, being surrounded by the special people who had influenced my first twenty-four years, and soaking up hugs and good wishes from the receiving line of loved ones. I will never forget taking photos at [...]
Clearing Our Muddy Water
Good morning... We wait in solitude and silence, beginning to feel God's answers emerging. Dallas Willard recommends, "Stay there long enough for the inner being to be different. Muddy water becomes clear if you only let it be still for a while." (The Divine Conspiracy, p 359) Dallas reveals an interesting phenomenon. I google: "How does still water become clear?" I discover this quote by Lao Tzu: "Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear." I [...]
Too Much To Do?
Good morning... As I deepen into my Spiritual Direction training program, I find myself marinating in the wise words of Dallas Willard found in The Divine Conspiracy. Here are some favorites quotes I have gathered in my notes. "The cure for too-much-to-do is solitude and silence, for there you find you are safely more than what you do. And the cure for loneliness is solitude and silence, for there you discover in how many [...]
Ask God Your Questions
Good morning... He said to me, "If I really want to talk with and listen to God, I have to get away with Him privately, for a big chunk of time." He likened it to my husband and me, "If you really want to talk with and listen to Steve, you would not do it in a crowded room full of people, surrounded by distractions. You would get away with him privately, for a [...]
We Will Always Be Family
Good morning... I opened my inbox to discover this email. "Dear Friends, We hope this letter finds you well. We're writing to bring you up to speed on some major life events that are occurring with us. After many fulfilling years together we have come to a place where we are moving in different directions and have decided to divorce. Though we will no longer be husband and wife, we know we will always [...]
The Freedom Of Asking For Help
Good morning... With some people, it feels like a sin to "ask." Asking a question is like challenging authority. Asking for clarification means you are a bother. Asking about options can complicate matters and prolong a decision. With some people, asking for anything cracks the surface of their status quo and anger oozes out, messy and mean. This weekend, my husband and I ran into an eleventh hour dilemma, a favor asked by a [...]
Molting Brings More
Good morning... I pick a few choice sentences from her handwritten card: "In thinking about those little birds, the goldfinches, I wonder how they feel about losing their beautiful feathers. Are they irritated? Do they feel like those of us with cancer who have lost their hair? Or, do they know that God intends more from them - more birds, more joy, more beauty? I think of John 15:2 - "Every branch that does [...]
A Good Goodbye
Good morning... At a high school graduation party last night, I met for the first time the husband of a Bible study friend. He was fascinating to talk with, authentic and faith filled. He shared with me how his first wife had died of breast cancer in her early thirties, a few years younger than he was at the time. Living graciously with her illness, she always tried to keep things upbeat and positive. [...]
When We Feel Cheated
Good morning... "So much has been given to me I have not time to ponder over that which has been denied." These words, penned by Helen Keller, touch me deeply. They remind me of a sentence I emailed this week to a grieving friend: "I am hoping the lovely, precious, beautiful memories serve to sustain you in your darkest hours. Savoring what was and what currently is, the simple nuances of what is true [...]