Advent, Day 5: And He Shall Purify
In our “lectionary” from Handel’s Messiah, we have come to the fearsome Malachi 3:2-3. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and…
Advent, Day 4: The Call to Empty
Haggai 2:6-7 For thus saith the Lord of hosts: once more (in a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of…
Advent Day 3: Hunger for Christ’s Return
On the day He returns, rocks will prostrate, valleys rise up to meet His feet, and Alpine peaks bow down. The landscape will heal and surge and a highway will roll out a red carpet. The Savior will set the pads…
Advent Day 2, When the Fight is Long
I read this and all indifference melts. Later I peer into eyes wonder what struggle my waitress, my kids’ teacher, my mask wearing perfect friend wrestles with. I wonder what makes you weary. The battle has been long and we…
Advent: Day 1, Leaning into Longing
We married in the dark candlelight of December. Flurries swirled on Kenyon College’s campus and we hurried into the stone church holding all our hopes for our future. We were crazy young: 18 and 20. We turned toward each other, said…
Sabbath: Time to Witness Heaven Touching Earth
I’m at the end of Emily Freeman’s lovely book, A Million Little Ways, on life and art and an art filled ordinary and also carrying the heaviness of my Nona’s passing. (Isn’t she stunning? Classy. That’s the word I keep…
Encouragement, Love 101
We stood on the sidewalk, the runners turning at the 25.4 mile mark, and we grew hoarse handing out courage. “You can do this!” “You’re on the homestretch!” My children, myself and my parents, we all waved neon signs, scanning…
Sabbath: The Gift of Slow
This week my precious Nona was dying from Alzheimer’s. Children and Grandchildren huddled around her bed soaking up her presence for one last day. We adored her Irish red hair, her mama bear spunk and the love she wrapped us in whenever…
Sleeping with Bread, Part 4; Wrestling with God
This was a wrestle this summer…one that I can’t mold into a tidy little shape of words, the sweat and tears of it are just too fresh. Have mercy with the lack of polish…I considered not publishing it, but, honestly, it…
Celebrate Your Smallness
This Sabbath may you find yourself in the middle of wonder…hugging your knees and staring at miles of open lake, pulling the car over to the rim of the road to feast on a stretch of gold washed mountains, wrapped…