Past Her Prime
Good morning... Collected with discarded Christmas trees, our son brought home a gorgeous, white poinsettia, a lovely plant who is slightly past her prime. First, I drizzle water on her drying soil. Then, I tenderly pluck off her crumpled up parts - leaves, blooms, empty stems. Finally, I find the perfect spot for her to rest on the foyer floor. I feel honored to provide for her a second home, to be the [...]
Will I Choose Awe Today?
Good morning... From our list of questions posed to begin this brand new year, her spirit was drawn to the final one shared, "Will I choose awe today?" God swept in, creatively bolstering her response, connecting her to the inspiring article below. Please join me now, as together we walk in awe. ****** An Awe Walk by Dacher Keltner What gives you a sense of awe? That word, awe—the feeling of being in [...]
Essential Things Linger
Good morning... Essential things linger from yesterday's post, Key Questions For This New Year. I follow my own encouragement and choose three questions that are whispering for my attention. Can I soften? Can I soften some more? Which comes first, forgiveness or the peace? What's at stake? Hard. Selfish. Controlling. Forcing our own way doesn't get us where we need to go. If I soften, you soften. Together, we soften some more. Forgiveness [...]
Key Questions For This New Year
Good morning... I am not sure how I missed it, but this poem came into my email on New Year's Day. Maybe I did not have the time, the margin, the courage to consider these key questions then. Now seems like the perfect moment for me to ponder this powerful poem. Are you open to joining me, friend? As we slowly read through the questions posed, let's choose one or two or three [...]
Giving Birth On January 6th
Good morning... Twenty-nine years ago today, on January 6th, I gave birth to a five pound fifteen ounce little boy, three days past his due date. Look at him now. He's faithful, he's grounded, he's newly married to a Spirit-filled, gentle woman. How fun it is to see a single seed of God growing up into its own uniqueness. Two years later, on January 7th, our second child arrived exactly on her due [...]
Why This Smattering?
Good morning... I woke with a weird word on my mind. Smattering. When is the last time you heard smattering used in a sentence? Dictionary.com defines the noun smattering in two different ways. a slight, superficial, or introductory knowledge of something. For example, "She knows a smattering of Latin." a small amount or number. Used in a sentence we might read: "He has written a smattering of poetry." Synonyms include smidge or smidgen, [...]
Why Hurry And Worry?
Good morning... A peaceful saying lives on this purple journal. "Nature does not hurry and yet everything is accomplished," Lao Tzu wisely notices. Now I am drawn to change one letter. "Nature does not worry and yet everything is accomplished." Worrying does not do any good; who here can claim to add even an hour to his life by worrying? (Matthew 6:27, VOICE). Might the same be true of hurrying? When we find [...]
Wisdom From My Dad
Good morning... Yesterday, my dad sent me a really encouraging article. After offering nineteen powerful thoughts, the author concludes, "Find one, two or 10 you can relate to — and use them effectively in your daily life." I actually found five which speak to me most loudly. Now as you read through these nuggets of wisdom, which top one might you choose to focus your attention on today? ****** January 02 - 19 [...]
As This New Year Unfolds
Good morning... When I was a young mom of four little kids, a wise woman from our church shared an important nugget of wisdom. "Children are not for molding," she said. "Children are for unfolding." Through the change in one single word, God continues to guide me. To me, molding means pushing, shaping, exerting control. The change of form comes from outside forces, "I have the answers. I know what's best." Unfolding is [...]
Running Into A New Year
Good morning... Our tree is down. Our hopes are up. Before the new day dawns, a poem breezes in. ****** i am running into a new year By Lucille Clifton i am running into a new year and the old years blow back like a wind that i catch in my hair like strong fingers like all my old promises and it will be hard to let go of what i said to [...]
Our Final Blog Post
Good morning... With me taking a Sabbath rest from writing each Sunday, this is our final blog post for 2023. I feel drawn to pass along the encouragement a friend shared with me. In the midst of her journey with breast cancer, she wrote, "Yesterday I read the whole book Chris Beats Cancer by Chris Wark. It was so good, and this gift was in it. Healing. Guidance. Abundance. Security. These words brought [...]
The Magic Of Just Being With
Good morning... "I am feeling the magic of just being with, fully present," I email a friend whose father passed away this year. This week I am hanging out with my dad in Ohio as we support my mom, who is slowly recovering in the hospital from a life-threatening infection. "Keeping quiet. Letting things unfold. Trusting God with it all. Good lessons for much of life," I reflect. "Praying for you Sue," she [...]