Relax
Good morning... "I saw your walking post," she texted yesterday, "and then I came across this book on my shelf." Walk in a Relaxed Manner: Life Lessons from the Camino by Joyce Rupp. "Oh wow!" I replied. "I love Joyce Rupp. Might I borrow your book?" "I've ordered you your very own...it seemed fitting," she kindly texted. "Should have it tomorrow." "You are so sweet! Thank you. I can't wait," I soaked in [...]
Walking In The Open Air
Good morning... Breaking in new trail shoes for our upcoming group trips with Lovett Expeditions, Steve and I have been walking our dog Tate to and from the horse farm after dinner each night. Last night, I noticed the moon slowly inching her way toward full. Wispy clouds streaked the rich blue sky, and I marveled at God's mammoth masterpiece. "I don't think it is enough appreciated how much an outdoor book this [...]
Steve Leaves The Classroom
Good morning... As The Lovett School students return to the classroom today, my husband is leaving the classroom after twenty-nine years as head chaplain. Steve is branching out into the world in a meaningful new way. "Having led group travel for the past 35 years, I’ve learned one important fact: 'Things happen on trips,'" Steve wrote yesterday in his first Instagram post. "When we explore other lands, peoples, cultures and traditions, amazing things [...]
What I Learned Last Tuesday
Good morning... Last Tuesday was a doozy. Volunteering to help a friend who was moving, I offered to take her final leftover things to a Christian consignment store near us. Driving over, I thought to myself, "Might this be a side ministry God is directing me towards?" I can certainly pick up donated stuff from friends and transporting them to the consignment store, a non-profit ministry which benefits a nearby church by selling [...]
This New School Year
Good morning... As summer nears her end and this new school year begins, a friend read aloud a prayer. Once. Again. With silence surrounding. Might we do the same? Privately. Now. ****** Help me to journey beyond the familiar and into the unknown. Give me the faith to leave old ways and break fresh ground with you. Christ of mysteries, I trust You to be stronger than each storm within me. I will [...]
Our Wide, Wide Welcome
Good morning... One of my favorite Bible stories can be found in Luke 9:12-17 (NIV). Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him (Jesus) and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” He replied, “You give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two [...]
One Grateful Email
Good morning... With a kind and grateful heart, the Development Director wrote to me from Ignatius House Retreat Center. This week, we, as a written word community, tangibly supported an ISP retreat for women recovering from homelessness and addiction. We filled fifteen welcome bags for their private rooms and provided financial donations to offset the cost of this retreat, which was offered free of charge to these courageous women. [...]
Such Love, Such Love
Good morning... St. Francis of Assisi made poetry of our common daily experiences. Such love does the sky now pour, that whenever I stand in a field, I have to wring out the light when I get home. Constantly drenched by God's endless love, might we wring out vibrant light wherever we go? Anyone who claims to live in God’s light and hates a brother or sister is still in the dark. It’s [...]
Doing Something Positive
Good morning... All weekend long, gift items kept arriving on our doorstep. Toiletry packs. Beautiful, reusable bags. Bibles and Scripture cards. A bunch of brown boxes were dropped off by Amazon. Kleenex packs. Nail files and gum. Lotions and lip gloss. Some people left their offerings on our front porch. Fuzzy socks. Colorful journals and pens. Handwritten notes of encouragement. Others stopped in and chatted a while. Homemade cookies. Stress relief tea bags. [...]
Remembering Dede
Good morning... Yesterday I went to the memorial service for Edith (Dede) Burnette, the mom of a loyal friend in our Friday morning class. Held in our small chapel at Northside Church, the service offered beautiful music (Blessed Assurance and Amazing Grace), encouraging Scriptures (Psalm 23, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, Revelation 21:1-7), and a few prayers with brief, touching remarks from our senior pastor. Simple. Sacred. The service was inspiring. Afterward, we were invited to [...]
Are You Struggling Too?
Good morning... With the humid heat and our furry dog, I began a short walk to take care of her business. When I saw a gorgeous plume of colorful clouds blessing the morning sky, I turned around and went back to our home to get my phone. With leash in hand, I awkwardly took photos of the gentle beauty surprising my eyes. After our [...]
Walking Each Other Home
Good morning... On the same morning my 86 year old mom left the skilled nursing care center to return home to the villa with my dad in Ohio, a dear, dear friend settled her own aging mom into her new home, a memory care facility in Huntsville, Alabama. That same evening, another loyal friend rested beside her mom at a hospital in Atlanta, as she was in the care of hospice. Her mom [...]