“Repent and believe the gospel.” — Mark 1:15 These are Jesus’ words that stood out from this morning’s lectio Divina, the ancient Christian tradition of soaking in a short passage of scripture and allowing God’s Spirit to focus one’s attention on a portion of it. Processing what He means resulted Read more
My father loved ducks. We never knew why; he just did. He loved the cut-sew-and-stuff mallard one of us made him for Christmas. He loved the print of a duck painting that hung in his office. We had a duck doorstop. After my dad’s death, my mom gave me the little Read more
The gospel according to Hallmark says this is the season for sleigh-ride snuggling, jolly holly-ing, and rockin’ around the Christmas tree, but what if you are alone in a desert where snow is once-in-a-lifetime, can’t remember the last time you felt anything close to jolly, or are fresh out of Read more
My blood pressure was through the roof! And then I was in tears. (It is so hard to cry wearing a mask in a doctor’s office with people who are accustomed to giving compassionate medical care, but seem a little at a loss to deal with tears-out-of-nowhere!) The PA thought Read more
I have had the most disappointing garden season ever (and in our part of the country, winter is prime gardening time)! Most of my carefully tended, pre-sprouted seedlings got eaten by snails, birds or a rat. The few that remained have not been productive or sturdy. Only the radishes flourished, Read more
Yesterday was a day full of ministry opportunities. It was a day of revelation and insight, confession and restoration, battle and victory. In all this, Jesus is the mighty Victor. Overcomer is His name: He overcame Satan’s plot to destroy God’s glory and usurp His throne; He overcame death through Read more
“Come to Me, all of you who bear heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Following Jesus in the everyday includes the news. Where do I see the feet of Jesus ahead of me on the path that is mine today? What is He inviting me…and you…to do? I Read more
It started with the death of a lizard – a gecko, actually. We have bugs in our house. The big kind you can hear coming, or the kind that try to sing you to sleep at night. My tendency is to smash first and think about the consequences later. This Read more
Thanksgiving (not the holiday) restores my perspective, makes me aware of hope, centers me. The last ten days has included the white-knuckle exhilaration of the switchbacks of the Beartooth Highway, the breathless awe of the view over the windy, wildflower-laden tundra above the tree line, the sad finality of the Read more
My father-in-law died this week. He was 93, having served in the army in Germany at the end of World War II and in Korea during that conflict, and died in his son’s arms, peacefully. He leaves a legacy of ingenuity, courage, cheerful steadfastness and hope. His death leaves a Read more