Good morning... With challenging news she called me, "I wanted to tell you. I figured you would know what to do." Out of my mouth fell effortless words, like a trickling stream running downhill. "I will lift it up and give it away. That's all I know to do." When tearful concern returns to the mind of my heart, [...]
Good morning... In our final Listening Group of the semester, I intended to unwrap Chapter 3, but by "mistake" I read aloud excerpts from Chapter 4, a chapter entitled "God's Compassion for the Rebellious." I shared aloud these introductory words before we slowly read, reread, and reflected on the parable of the prodigal son found in Luke 15:11-24. "You [...]
Good morning... He shared one simple quote after yesterday's post, Primary Or Peripheral? “The first wise men gave Christ treasures from their kingdoms. Today’s wise men give Christ the treasures of their heart.” - Holley Gerth Yet, complicating the gift-giving process, our heart-treasures are wrapped in our human nature. Anger and anxiety. Stress and selfishness. Depression and defensiveness. These [...]
Good morning... I knew I would be cutting time close when I scheduled the appointment last week, but, as an eternal optimist, I thought, "I can do that, then I can go there." Then when an important, long-standing "there" moved up its start time, my newly committed "that" would no longer fit without rushing. As I opened myself up [...]
Good morning... Today, on December 12th, there is no reason my inbox should open to October 12th, but that glitch just happened. So I click again on a life-changing announcement. ****** Celebrating Beth Jordan Journal entry by Greg Jordan — 10/12/2017 Beth passed away peacefully last night after living eight courageous and inspiring years with brain cancer. Beth was an [...]
Good morning... I joyfully journal to the glow of our Christmas tree lights for the first time in 2017. I love this morning every year. These still, quiet moments reap the benefits of having finally chosen our tree and somehow gotten it home safely strapped atop our car, having struggled it centered into the stand then tying it upright [...]
Good morning... The image filling my mind has three parts: a single red rose bud in a simple vase, a clean kitchen counter, and an under cabinet beam of accent light. Today I wake late following an annual Christmas gathering with the vision of a rose resting on the counter, basking in warmth of cozy kitchen light. As I [...]
Good morning... One line haunts me from our recent post, Do You Trust God? (scroll back through previous posts if you missed it). These powerful words, written by Terrance Malick, shed ugly light on the God who so loves us: "The very moment everything was taken away from Job, he knew it was the Lord who'd taken it away." This [...]
Good morning... "Take your sails out of their wind." I am not sure when I first heard this wise phrase, but I am learning to put it into practice regularly. When the fierce winds of crazy conflict start picking up speed inside and around us, we take down our sails. When anxious winds begin gusting hard in our direction, do [...]
Good morning... I recently told this story off the top of my head, but it is much more meaningful when read from the book. "Connie's son started wearing an earring. She became annoyed and told her husband, 'I'm going to pray his ears bleed!' But as her prayers took on the contemplative tone of surrendering instead of managing and [...]
