Journeying Home Together
I got new glasses today. I’ve worn glasses since third grade, when my teacher told my parents that she didn’t think I could see the board and the overhead and everything else at the front of the room. Over twenty years later, I am still impressed that she picked up on that; I thought I could see just fine. My parents took me to the doctor, though, and he confirmed
Then He said to then all, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24) There it is. The core of our faith and the verse that we hear over and over and over. That verse we know by
Fear. I’ve spent most of my adult life trying to run from it – telling myself that my fears are unjustified and even imagined. I’ve seen counselors and doctors. I’ve cried many, many tears and hidden in too many dark rooms because of fear. I’ve missed out on things I badly wanted to be a part of. I’ve run and run, always chased by the specter of fear that seems
A few years ago, Scott and I went to a local air show. Scott’s father is a pilot, so he grew up around airplanes and different aspects of aviation. As such, he was less enthralled by the stunts of the pilots than he was at the childlike enthusiasm of his wife, who had never seen anything like that. I loved it. I stared, mouth agape, as the planes zoomed overhead
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work…Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 27) Recently, I’ve begun thinking about my life
I wrote last week about the journey of forgiveness that Jesus has called me to lately…or rather, about the journey He called me to a long time ago but that I have only now chosen to embark upon. The situation in my life must remain private for the sake of discretion. The experience of forgiveness, though…well, it’s pretty universal. It’s a journey, for sure. And it’s not an easy one.
(Originally posted in August 2009) There is a village in Iran made entirely of houses and buildings carved out of volcanic rock. It is estimated that some of the houses have been there – as houses – for 700 years, inhabited and re-inhabited hundreds of times through the years. The residents have made themselves comfortable in the rock, making each little cave dwelling their own and building their lives within
(Originally posted in August 2011. Once I get over the cold that has seized my life, perhaps I’ll have more original thoughts to convey…) This morning on the news, I heard that NASA has launched an unmanned spacecraft destined for Jupiter. This craft…it will fly for 5 years before reaching its destination on a faraway planet. Five years! When I heard that, I looked over at my daughter, who –
I saw an amazing thing this morning after I dropped my sweet girl off at school. On a busy street corner (really, one of the busiest in town) two men stood in conversation. One of them wore sunglasses, carried a distinctive walking stick, and stood staring straight ahead. The other man stood directly behind him, talking in a low voice into his ear. It quickly became obvious to me what
(Originally posted in October 2010, and still relevant today.) I’ve recently been fascinated by different documentary-type shows about hoarding. It is interesting to me to see the way the people are living and to see how their illness has affected the people around them. I usually watch with sadness as I see someone hurting and struggling and desperate for change, but completely unequipped to bring that change about themselves. Most
