We know the story, don't we? An innocent peasant girl, a heroic fiance, and angel visitations. Peculiar starlight. We hold our children close, paging through brightly colored storybooks, reminding them of the miracle of the baby in the manger. “Silent night, holy night”, we sing, clutching candles in the dark. Its a beautiful story. A … Continue reading The Line Between
Faith
We Thank You, Lord
For peace that keeps our hearts soft in a raging world; for ferns unfurling in the forest damp; for a glance and smile across the aisle, we thank you, Lord. For comfort that strengthens us in the face of fear; for ancient words that nestle deep; for moonlight’s caress in midnight hours, we thank you, … Continue reading We Thank You, Lord
A New Word
“I have a word for you,” my sister said. We carry the DNA of our vocabulary-loving father, who enjoyed puzzling us with unusual words as we gathered around the dinner table growing up. His influence was strong. The word she shared was “marcescence”, and it describes a tree’s leaves that cling to the branches, dead, … Continue reading A New Word
Election Season
Our presidential election is finally here for those of us who are United States citizens. To say that this election season has been ugly would be a vast understatement. As I considered how to cast my vote, I was struck by how seriously many of us take it. Any one vote won’t decide who will … Continue reading Election Season
What to Wear
I have one sibling, a sister five years older than me. All of my life, I've looked up to her fashion choices. She chose a financial career in the city that required a fashionable wardrobe, while I mothered in a small mountain village in tee shirts and jeans. So whenever I had an event that … Continue reading What to Wear
Prayer Requests
We lean across the table, straining to hear each other. "What are your prayer requests?" the leader asks, pen poised above her notebook. We speak hesitantly into the holiness of being heard. A hurting relative. A wayward child. Relational struggles. Fears. Change. Outside, we manage. We persevere. But here, around this table, our vulnerability weaves … Continue reading Prayer Requests
Exposed to Hope
Here’s an article I wrote for Gospel-Centered Discipleship. I hope it blesses you. https://gcdiscipleship.com/article-feed/exposed-to-hope-the-evangelism-of-welcome
Choices and Limitations
“He’s 3, with 32 years of experience” is how I describe my son Ben these days. Still stymied by tic-tac-toe and overjoyed by a jar of peanut butter, yet he's got over three decades of living under his belt. Last winter we took a long car ride, spent a night in a hotel and took … Continue reading Choices and Limitations
The Door Behind Us
We squeezed into our airplane seats, Ben poking eagerly at the seatback video screen. The familiar safety instructions started and I turned my gaze to the window as we rolled down the taxiway. "Your closest exit may be behind you," the perky flight attendant reminded us. Why? Because sometimes our focus is so fixed ahead … Continue reading The Door Behind Us
A Mother to Me, Too
[Apostle Paul, c. 1633, Rembrandt, oil on canvas, Kunsthistorisches Museum [Public domain] / Wikimedia] “You're Bill’s wife!” she exclaimed, holding out her hand. “And what do you do?” “I stay home,” I replied, mentally kicking myself for feeling foolish. “That’s the hardest work of all!” she chirped, scanning the room for someone more interesting. “I'm … Continue reading A Mother to Me, Too
A View of the Lake 