My Mom Suddenly Fell
Good morning... We enjoyed a slow, low-key day after my parents' joyful Music Man performance at their senior living community in Ohio. Waking late. Talking over breakfast. Enjoying a relaxing morning together. Going to an appointment with the eye doctor. Grateful for good news, "Everything looks great." Stopping by Dairy Queen to order an ice cream cake for my mom's 86th birthday party on Sunday. In the late afternoon, my parents got gussied [...]
Enjoy Aging Parents
Good morning... Parents age. Heck, we all age. Might we enjoy supporting this natural process? As we mature, life's essentials become key. Eating. Sleeping. Feeling well. Nurturing friendships. Connecting with family. Remembering good times. I enjoy visiting my parents in Ohio, because I quite easily relax into their slower pace. Coffee. Banana. Peanut butter. Conversations about life. Planning a few things for each day. A walk. A drive. A doctor appointment. What to [...]
Elizabeth. Audrey. My Mom.
Good morning... I walked by a little purple-white pansy peeking up through a lush sea of green grass. With rows and rows of neatly placed flowers looking on from a nearby bed, this one persistent pansy somehow appeared in a place it was not planted. Bold. Beguiling. Beautiful. Now I explore the meaning behind this dainty delight. The word “pansy” is derived from the mid-15th century French word “penser,” which means to think [...]
Experiencing Jet Lag
Good morning... Wow. Jet lag is a real thing. I just flew back two days ago from an amazing five day trip to California. I can attest, jet lag is a real thing. Uncharacteristic of me, the last two nights I've stayed up way past midnight, binge-watching my happy recordings of this season of American Idol. (Fortunately, Steve is away with Lovett students in Greece, tracking the travels of Paul). This is the [...]
See Slow, Small Things
Good morning... As we peer through our window into the day at hand, do we see the slow, small things quietly taking God's time? Snails. Erosion. Transformation. Organic growth. Healing whole. Blossoming relationships. Living in peace. The dying process. Becoming like Christ. Learning to listen well to God. In a world that values faster, bigger, louder, so much of what God does is slow, small, quiet. This story from 1 Kings 19:11-13 (MEV) [...]
The Art Of Abundance
Good morning... She introduced me to Porcelain War, the 2024 Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner for a U.S. documentary. Curious, I research more about the film to discover this summary. "Amidst the chaos and destruction of the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, three artists defiantly find inspiration and beauty as they defend their culture and their country. In a war waged by professional soldiers against ordinary civilians, Slava Leontyev, Anya Stasenko, and Andrey [...]
Our Fight For Life
Good morning... "Hi, Sue," he wrote this week. "I hope all is well with you and your family." "I also hope everyone will take a moment on Monday to reflect on the Americans who died in the service of their country," he continued. "Memorial Day is a wonderful time to get together with family and friends; but more importantly, it is the day we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our [...]
I’m So Overwhelmed
Good morning... "I'm not doing very well," my friend greeted me as I walked in the door. "I'm so overwhelmed." "Then, this is a perfect time for a visit," I responded with a Holy Spirit nudge. We talked and we ate and we unpacked all our worries. As we honestly shared our burdens, we each felt a little lighter. By the end of our time together, she played for me the song below, [...]
Look At This Baby Bird
Good morning... One morning this week, I noticed a chubby bird sitting a yard away from our kitchen window. How did she get there, out on this precarious ledge? I went over to enjoy a photo shoot with this big fluffy baby, and I called my husband over to observe the cute creature with me. Unfazed by us, she sat there for a long, long time. Us watching, her waiting. Until, suddenly, she [...]
Don’t Spoil This Gift
Good morning... After waking from my second sleep yesterday, I felt nudged to rework the final sentences of our post, People Inspire People. "In our own language, we talk with God," I felt compelled to share. "Please quiet my own self-centered opinions and fluently speak Your compassion, Your unity, Your understanding through me. As people inspire people, the Spirit of God will continue to calm fears, end oppression, and peacefully teach humanity how [...]
People Inspire People
Good morning... Christmas is big. The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us (John 1:14a, GNT). Easter is huge. We believe that Jesus died and then came to life again (1 Thessalonians 4:14a, NLV). Pentecost is powerful. And they were all filled [that is, diffused throughout their being] with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (different languages), as the Spirit was giving [...]
Summer Zoom Study 2024
Good morning... As our spring semester draws to an end at Northside Church, all of our Bible studies for women channel into one Zoom study for the summer. Here are this year's details. ***** Summer Reading Group 2024 A Longing to Belong: Reflections on Faith, Identity, and Race by Michelle Lee-Barnewall A blend of memoir and theological reflection, Michelle Lee-Barnewall shares her unique Korean-American story and the search for identity that followed. Understanding [...]