Don’t Be Afraid
Good morning... Enjoying a meandering walk, I took a few photos after an early morning rain in Little Compton, Rhode Island. The purple pedals. The yellow center. The lush green leaves. The rocky eastern shore. The naturally fallen blooms. All of a sudden in buzzed a bumblebee. I was gifted with a photo shoot featuring this fuzzy creature. Being fully present at the perfect [...]
We’re People Who Hurt
Good morning... Kyshona Armstrong is a singer-song writer who has performed on the shores of Florida's 30-A. Kyshona tenderly reminds us, "We are fallen people living in a fallen world. We're fallen people, people who who hurt." Having savored the song several times, it strikes me that "hurt" is a multifaceted word. "Hurt" goes both ways. Throughout our ordinary days, we all have been "hurt" and we all have caused "hurt", either unconsciously [...]
Life Is A Rollercoaster
Good morning... Cleaning out his office before moving into his new role as Chaplain Emeritus at The Lovett School, Steve came across this photo from our cross-country camping trip to the Wisconsin Dells in 2010. He shared the picture in our family group text, and we all got a good laugh. (Of course our youngest son was too small at the time, so I quickly volunteered to stay on the ground with him, [...]
Celebrating Firsts Together
Good morning... When our four kids were growing up, going to Lovett where their dad was the chaplain, we would always take a picture before they jumped into the car for their first day of school each year. Here is a charming example of our annual ritual, celebrating one "first day of school" with a photo. Last week, we enjoyed our first vacation as a family since our new daughter-in-law has joined the [...]
When Gratitude Is Hard
Good morning... "Hope you are having a good summer," she wrote. "When I read this, I thought of you. It reads like words you would write." What a kind compliment. ******* a blessing for when gratitude is hard to come by, June 16th devotional by Kate Bowler I have a complicated relationship with gratitude. Gratitude, on one hand, is one of the most powerful tools for dealing with terrible things. On the other [...]
After Weeks Of Sun
Good morning... A dear friend watched our dogs while we were vacationing as a family near Banff, Canada. Sharing photos, she texted, "Hanging on the porch this morning! Please soak in every last drop of that cool weather while you can. Summer has definitely arrived here in ATL! We miss you." At 5:30 am in Canada and 7:30 am in Atlanta, I returned a picture [...]
Power Reliably Rises
Good morning... Every single morning, the power of the living Christ rises like the sun. Do we sense it? Do we trust it? Do we notice God's quiet, reliable movement? Our only task is to stay plugged into the Source of eternal power. My friends, this single act, this act of staying plugged in, tops our to-do list every day. But our ancestors resisted following [...]
Don’t Give Up
Good morning... For some unknown reason, this fun photo of my dad has gotten saved on my computer desktop. Without a technical bone in my body, I am a very unusual daily blogger. I am not on social media. I don't know how computers work. And I really have no idea how this photo got saved on my laptop, this photo of my dad performing in Music Man at their senior living community [...]
Welcome In Or Lock Out?
Good morning... Scrolling through photos I took over the weekend in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, I am struck by the dichotomy of this expressive photo. Look at the details. What do you see? Now up in the middle of the night, I reflect on my way of living and wonder, "Am I learning to welcome all or am I stuck in the habit of securing old, rusty locks?" In this immediate moment, [...]
A Married Couple Makes Fire
Good morning... On a ninety degree evening in June, my husband Steve performed a wedding for one of his former Lovett wrestlers in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. The setting could not have been more perfect, as the slowly descending sun snuck behind a mammoth tree on a bustling street corner beside the historic waters. Walking down the pastel-colored street from the hotel to the ceremony, two unique individuals were surrounded by friends, [...]
Two Birthday Girls
Good morning... Yesterday, June 9th, hosted two special birthdays. My mom turned 86 years old in Ohio, and Audrey DeShetler turned 19 years old here in Atlanta. Born on the same day, sixty-seven years apart, both of these women have a strong drive to live life fully. After falling last Monday night and having surgery to repair a broken hip on Tuesday afternoon, my [...]
Our Deepest Hope
Good morning... Our deepest hope is Galatians 2:20, quoted here in the New Living Translation. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. The life of the risen Christ now rises up in us, as we trust in the [...]