Zephyrs, Gusts, and Promises of Spring
I shoveled a path to the bottom of the driveway then stopped to catch my breath before shoveling another path on my way up. Last Wednesday’s snow and freezing rain had left us homebound for the day. Overnight, rising temperatures and heavy rains had cleared tire...
Practicing the Spoken Word
The flat screen in front of the sanctuary at church displayed the words, Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. Jeremiah 17:7 The next PowerPoint slide showed a stylized image of a tree with cross-sectioned deep roots. Those...
Being Perfectly Yourselves
The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly themselves... - Thomas Merton You and he settle into a booth at one of your favorite restaurants. Not fancy—a college basketball game plays on a flat screen mounted on the wall. Closed...
My Plan B and God’s Plan A
Last Thursday, 4:30 a.m. I’m snoozing in bed and half-listening for the backup generator outside our bedroom window. Every week, our automatic standby generator system performs a 15-minute test cycle—a critical self-diagnosis. This morning, it’s cold outside. Very...
Writing Hard Stories
I open the kitchen door, and Freya rushes into the house. Once she’s done with her pre-dawn barking, she’s ready to come in. Now. Anticipating our walk, Heathcliff vacates the favored nest-bed in front of the wood furnace. Freya claims the warmth of both and...
Of Turtles and Fear
As high winds ushered in last night's cold front, Heathcliff huddled in his nest bed. He fears the sound of wind, beating against the house and knocking down patio furniture. This morning, the temperature outside registered in the low teens, zero with the wind...