Good morning... This spring, I told you earlier I Feel Pregnant With Quadruplets, holding, nurturing, expanding opportunities conceived by God's Spirit. Three weeks ago, our Northside Writers' Group birthed the Women's Lenten Communion Service; a special, sacred evening was enjoyed by all. Two weeks ago, we birthed a second, powerful With God Weather Life Retreat in Ellijay, Georgia; the ripples set [...]
Good morning... After sharing a quote in yesterday's post from Jan Johnson's When The Soul Listens, I quietly rest in the rest of the nurturing chapter. I eat from the feast prepared on pages 170 and 171. ****** The rhythm of action and contemplation makes compassion fatigue and burnout unnecessary. Your conversational life with God will keep you richly [...]
Good morning... "Significant doers draw from a well of quietness before God," writes author and spiritual director Jan Johnson. "For example, Amy Carmichael was a single missionary to India who received temple prostitutes, eventually establishing a home and school for them. She also wrote this: 'Give much time to quietness. We have to get our help for the most [...]
Good morning... When our freshman at Ole Miss was recently home for a long weekend, she was working on a paper about the "self-reference effect," a phenomenon of memory that causes an individual to integrate an experience differently depending on their own degree of personal involvement with the art, the person, the event itself. Media is a mediator, a [...]
Good morning... Two weeks ago I ran out of gas. Completely embarrassed, I did not mention it to you before now. What almost-fifty-five-year-old runs out of gas? Then in the title of yesterday's post, God sparked the word "fueled" and I remembered my recent experience of literally running out of fuel. I had had one of those weeks. Drained [...]
Good morning... Nibbling on nuts and sipping a glass of wine, I enjoyed the new-book-signing for a man I admire. If God had a human voice, it would be Ron Greer's. Strong. Steady. Soothing. If anyone lives like Christ most moments of most days, it is Ron Greer. Real. Reliable. Relentlessly relational. If anyone needs a referral for pastoral [...]
Good morning... As I wallowed in my mistake I remembered a poignant story from Brene Brown's The Gifts Of Imperfection. On page 14, Brene writes: "I recently saw another example of ordinary courage at my son Charlie's preschool. Parents were invited to attend a holiday music presentation put on by the kids. You know the scene - twenty-five children singing [...]
Good morning... In important matters, God gets our attention. His "surround sound" method of speaking cracks me up. After yesterday's post, I Made A Mistake, my friend emailed me: "This should make you chuckle. Look what is in my inbox this morning!" ****** Subject: Inspiring Quote for February 23rd, 2018 "I hope that in this year to come, you [...]
Good morning... I made a mistake. I hate being a mistake-maker. As soon as my error was revealed, I emailed a heartfelt apology. I went on with my late afternoon, to the bank, the grocery, the dry cleaners. Still the frustrating thought lingered, "My blunder inconvenienced people." I dropped off my son's car, picked up my husband, we enjoyed [...]
Good morning... In my book, I put a question mark by a new-to-me word. Evanescent. Do you know what "evanescent" means? I love to treasure hunt truth, so I get to googlin'. "Evanescent" means soon passing out of sight, memory, or existence. Quietly fading. Quickly fleeting. Brief. Short-lived. Vanishing. "Every person's life is lined with memories, keepsakes, habits, and [...]
