Writers need to develop elastic skin, somehow able to be thick and thin at the same time; thin enough for the world to seep through into the heart and onto the page, and thick enough to endure criticisms and judgments without slamming down the pen or laptop cover for good. And like writing, the more …
What I’m Into (May 2014)
I'm sinking into summer, and the sun-filled days feel luxurious after the long, hard, cold, miserable winter. Today is my son's last day of second grade (how did that happen?). My husband is bringing him Burger King at school for lunch. It's hard to know what my son is more excited for--his dad visiting or a …
#YesAllWomen
After the horrifying shootings in Santa Barbara on May 23rd, news reports attempted to discover a motive behind the act. The 22-year-old gunman posted a YouTube video shortly before he acted where he complained about rejections he’d experienced from women and revealed his plan to kill women he believed had rebuffed him. We can guess …
Star Story #2
Back in January, I shared paper stars with words on them with everyone in worship. They were asked to make these words their prayer words for 2014. Here is a lovely reflection written by a member of the congregation I serve (you can find the first Star Story here):My star word is "Listen". My first …
Post-Easter Recovery
Every year I think my Easter recovery will be--must be--easier than the last year, which I think is like assuming the next marathon recovery will be better. Every year I'm wrong. Easter kicked my butt again. It's a good tired, a satisfied-yet-relieved tired, a stay-in-my-pajamas-all-day tired. A tired that throws my limits in front of …
Letting Go
Jesus said to Peter, 18“Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to …
Love Kindness
He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8What does God expect of us? This text is part of an urgent banter between God and the Israelites--first God reminding them of all that God's …
Do You Love Me?
15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” …
Loving God with Our Lives
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your …
God So Loved the World
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16 What's the most important part of this well-loved verse? Not that unbelievers will perish. It's that God loved the world--not only the chosen few, but all …
Narrating Grace 