The Worth of Work and Pain
I cleared fall’s dead from the winding perennial borders—the purple coneflower stems, the sedum stalks. I removed the invasive honeysuckle and hemlock planted by birds in places they don’t belong. I cut down clumps of Karl Foerster grass, making way for new growth. I dug up and divided overgrown hostas, giving some away to those […]
Over the Edge
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Luke 12:6-7 Soon, I will watch the swallows nest in the barn, hatching naked in cups of twig and […]
When You’re Faced with The Unexpected, Expect Joy
Life consists of lists. Surely, we can all list our stresses. Surely, we can all list our joys. We can offer a litany of complaints. We can offer our lips to give thanks. Our loving God invites us to cast all our cares onto Him, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Truth is, […]
Left and Right Wings (Raw Writing–Unapologetically Unedited)
I flew to St. Martin on the day of the presidential inauguration. Leaving my home at four in the morning with a negative six degrees Fahrenheit freezing my bare ankles, I drove forty-five minutes south and parked my car in Remote Lot A. Thankfully, the airport shuttle had just arrived at the shelter. A young […]
Sacrificial Love and Letting Yourself Be Held By the Very Able Hand of God
Anne asked me. Said she needed me to come. Her past few phone messages in my voicemail sounded different—not quite desperate but certainly bold in expressing her request. “I need to see you.” Five strong words. Does a new diagnosis of Alzheimer’s do this to a person? When you’re 69? Do you suddenly wonder how […]
What To Do When You Feel Like A Freak
Our pastor’s kid hauled these freaks from the back garden and plopped them on the front porch. I thought they looked bad in the patch. Seeing them all together, all their deformities and discolorations on side-by-side display, kind of shocked me, honestly. How in the world did this happen? This is not what I […]
Crossing the Continent, Finding Faith
The beginning of this month, I flew to the edge of the continent. From one shore to another—Lake Michigan to Alaska. Flew to Anchorage and then Kodiak Island. Boarded a bush plane, hugged the interior mountain peaks, landed on a gravel strip at Larsen Bay. Hauled my bag down to the black rocky beach. Climbed […]
On the Edge, In a Wilderness
I’m flying far away Friday. Off to Alaska to an island surrounded by ocean teeming with fin whales and sea lions, salmon and otters. Flying off to write and to learn to write better. Flying off to take a breaths under expansive sky, to visit dear friends, to meet and make new friends. Flying off […]
What To Do When You’re Overwhelmed
Ever felt like your life is flying by so fast that everything’s a blur and you can’t remember what you did two hours ago, let alone two days ago? When your days are stuck in fast forward and you’re trying to pack more and more in like a suitcase you simply MUST sit on to […]
Through Thick and Thin
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:2 Hayfield came down the other day. At least part of it. We split the harvest with the farmer up the road who has his cows. He’s got the equipment. We’ve got the grass. His cows and our horses need […]
As For Me and My House
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52:7 With so much bad news delivered every day, ever feel in need of something uplifting? Me too. When I think about […]
What are We Waiting For?
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 A continuation from Monday’s post . . . Back to Benghazi, which is just a reflection of reality, now . . . Hate spreading hate. Violence spreading violence. I’m not trying to […]