The walls around me contract and squeeze, pressing in and pushing out. I’m reaching, reaching. Her hand grabs mine, and she pulls. Then she crams colored pencils in my fist and says, “Go forth, and mark up your Bible.” The words become life to me, and this world is not my home. My home and […]
a sacred pause: a prayer experience
I climb up the back steps, push open the door, walk past the library on my right, past the sanctuary on my left, through the parlor lit only by stained glass windows. The chapel, on the right, is set up. Nobody else is here. I’ve come to complete an assignment, a challenge to check off […]
follow me–or when you only think you’re a christian
Follow me. We had 45 minutes’ notice of a Friday night basketball camp. I tossed the book in my purse, and while Grace got instruction, I sat on the lowest bleacher and read. Before I’d gotten through the first chapter, my gut started to churn, and I thought it might disgorge itself right there […]
in which my week spins and i center
I’m curled up with my cream-colored plush throw to read in preparation for a High Calling book club discussion, when my daughter-in-law calls. My son’s vertigo is back, and he’s begging to go to the emergency room. I sigh. Not again. When it happens, it happens out of the blue and keeps him down for […]
still saturday: a sacred pauses interview
What is Still Saturday? Those of us who spend a lot of time online live in a loud land. Sorting out the voices. Listening. Blogging. Commenting. Sharing information. Trying to be noticed. While also developing deep friendships. One day, on what seemed like a whim, the idea of a time for online friends just to […]
scripture sunday: wonder
Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God, turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,” ignore what the world worships; The world’s a huge stockpile of God-wonders and God-thoughts. Nothing and no one comes close to you! I start talking about you, telling what I know, and quickly run out of words. Neither numbers nor words […]
still saturday: a wordcandy poem
A WordCandy Poem Give me silence, water hope. It is time to ravel rays from ravished dreams. Steady yourself and see the length of life is decreed by nature, its depth by grace. To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle softening into butter. A thing like that can make […]
her father’s joy
“You’re just waiting to get pregnant,” my doctor assured me. But days of thermometers and planned lovemaking and monthly disappointment tore at thinned emotions, feelings also frayed from too much doing, too much identity seeking in serving. Adoption doors hid behind lines that flowed into forever. “The company wants us to move,” my husband told […]
when the bluebirds go awol
We hang the bluebird feeder from the geranium hook on the porch. Fill it with yummies–crumbled suet, freeze-dried-berry-flavored mealworms (I actually scoop them with my bare hand), a few softened raisins, and a handful of blueberries. I don’t know if they like blueberries–but they’re berries, and they’re blue, so surely they’d make a bluebird happy. […]
scripture sunday: the romans project: romans 1:15-16
That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Romans 1:15-16 (NIV) Still at it, […]
