Today’s to-to list is enormous and overwhelming… like normal. This morning’s verse from a dear friend was this: “Whatever you do, do your work heartily as to the Lord, and not to men…” – Colossians 3:23 I can hear my children’s groans (along with the strains of a march-like tune Read more…
“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…
Reading in Jeremiah, it can seem like God’s responses to Jerusalem and Judah are harsh and punitive; the truth is that God has faithfully kept all his promises and covenant commitments to them for centuries, lavishing on them gifts and blessings, and His whole-hearted devotion. The response of almost the Read more…
So…I asked for a way to give order to my days, and attempted to make a to-do list that matched my calendar slots. I made a plan. I asked for instruction in what to celebrate in preparation for Christmas. He said, “My plan.” So, I set up the manger and Read more…
When I think of a plan, it might be a blueprint for an addition to my parents’ house, it might be a calendar grid populated with menu ideas, it might be a flow-chart for ministry processes…but these things are all comprehensible, human-brain-sized, linear, and chronologically time-oriented. Recently, I have been Read more…
Some humans are innately organized…and then there’s me. And my life is full of things that change, shift and move without consulting me. The nerve! My weekly calendar is a large presentation board populated with sticky notes…because they often need to be rearranged. Family emergencies, household disasters, memory failures, car Read more…
Picking up where we left off…after some more-or-less quiet time with Jesus, an everyday event in this disciple’s life is meal planning. What in the world does meal planning have to do with following Jesus?! At the end of this “following” is a great feast! The Marriage Supper of the Read more…
Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word. –Luke 1:38 With only a few days till Christmas, my schedule feels even more full than normal. Regular household work competes with parties and decorating, and the rivalry generates chaos. Just after I Read more…
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be yours as well. -Matthew 6:33 When someone asks me what I do, I don’t know how to answer. It depends on the week, on the day, on the time of day… I tried to get Read more…
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be yours as well. –Matthew 6:33 This is one of those days when the everyday has so many wrinkles and curves, so many challenges and obstacles that I am VERY aware of my need to have Read more…