06 Sep

Never. Alone.

I have been in church all my life.  That means, among other things, that there are certain scriptures that I have heard, read and studied dozens, if not hundreds, of times.  Yet one of the fun and significant aspects of scripture is that no matter...

15 Aug

Company is Coming!

Company’s coming!  These two words have the power to spur me to action like almost nothing else can do. This past weekend, a group of friends gathered around my dining room table to celebrate two birthdays.  These are friends I have known for the better part...

08 Aug

The Fleeting Abundance of Summer’s End

What are your favorite memories of summer?  For some of us, food plays a major role in defining what “summer” means to us.  Homemade ice cream, ice-cold watermelon, steaks or burgers on the grill, fresh corn on the cob, and chins that are sticky with...

03 Aug

A New Way of Seeing…Ourselves, Others, & the World

Second Sight Sometimes, you need the ocean light, and colors you’ve never seen before painted through an evening sky. Sometimes you need your God to be a simple invitation, not a telling word of wisdom. Sometimes you need only the first shyness that comes from being shown things far beyond your understanding, so that you...

26 Jul

The Power of Penetrating Questions

Questions.  Really good questions.  Teachers, therapists, leaders, and parents all know the power of a good question.  I am not talking about fact-finding questions, though they certainly have their place.  And I am certainly not talking about nosy questions. I am thinking of penetrating questions,...

19 Jul

Shakespeare, Decluttering, and Transitions

Sometimes my mind totally baffles me.  For instance, lately there is a phrase that keeps rolling around in my head:  “Now is the winter of our discontent.”  This was the opening line in a speech delivered by Gloucester in William Shakespeare’s Richard III.  Nearly four...

14 Jul

Lessons from My Grandmother’s House

For the past two weeks I have been out of the office.  I cannot say I’ve been on “vacation” because there wasn’t much about my time away that was restful or relaxing.  I cannot even say I was “away from work” because I “worked like...