New Mercies and Coffee

Lately I have been enjoying a mixture of spices, coconut milk and maple syrup in my coffee. I have noted that my pain levels seem to be reduced after my morning mug. This comes as no surprise since my mom used coffee for pain relief for many years, having an Read more

Hügelkultur and Humility…

Yes, again… So, I finished the hügelkultur pit; the brush pile has been reduced to a flat patch of ground covered with twigs and grass. Not a thing of beauty by any means, but at least unobtrusive and less obnoxious. It no longer looks out of control or dangerous. I Read more

Humility and Hugelkultur

Hugelkultur. It’s a fun word to say even if I don’t really know how to pronounce it! There’s supposed to be an umlaut somewhere in that word. I am attempting my first hugelkultur pit or mound. For several years, one of my garden beds has been a brush pile…Yup, a Read more

Returning to My First Love

Do the works you did at first.  –Revelation 3:5b What does that mean? How are those different from what I am doing not? How do I define “first love?” First in importance or in order? Both, probably. First in importance was the love I had for Jesus after my encounter Read more

No Accidents

 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”     and you make the Most High your dwelling, 10 no harm will overtake you,     no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you     to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands,     so that you Read more

A Prayer Overheard

Good morning, Papa-God, My heart is heavy, my body weary and pained, my mind restless. I need You, Your peace. You know the source of my trouble. I know the circumstances (at least in part) but, You alone know the end from the beginning, and You know the true root Read more

Not Neat and Tidy

Not neat and tidy. Nope. This following-Jesus stuff is messy! Questions come up that don’t have any neat solutions. Or even straight-forward ones. Conflicts arise for which there is no resolution. Depression hits and won’t let up. Disease and death still affect and afflict us, cheating and robbing us of Read more

What Kind of Playmate Am I?

“You guys are like stubborn playmates on the playground…I suggested a great game full of delight, and you poohpoohed it. When my friend told you a sad story, none of you were willing to listen and cry over it with him.” When I came across this passage (my paraphrase), I Read more

It’s the Little Things

Little numbers on the scale, little words spoken, little words unsaid, little seeds and little seedlings…Little fingers and toes, little hugs, little squeals… As much as I would, or think I would, like to have a monumental impact on the worlds around me, most of my life is made up Read more