Jan 31, 2014 | Being a Minister, Encouraging Words
I enjoy preaching. Most of my preaching experience happens as a guest preacher in a colleague’s congregation. The joy is in preparing and offering my gift of words about the Scripture. The struggle is I don’t always know the congregation personally. Awhile back I...
Dec 17, 2013 | Advent/Lent, Encouraging Words
I finished a handmade Christmas gift for a friend. So excited to have it completed, I held it up to admire, and the art was off center in the frame. Off center equals imperfection, and what I had thought was completed now required another attempt. The decorations on...
Nov 20, 2013 | Encouraging Words, Finding God in the Everyday
Audrey and Eve love stories about their younger selves. Often, a particular story will be requested. Last night Audrey turned to me and said, “Tell that story about me and Eve at the playground and how Eve said, ‘Little friend.’” And the story is: When Eve was four...
Oct 29, 2013 | Encouraging Words
I filled a bird feeder with sunflower seeds and hung it outside the kitchen window. I did not know if the birds would come, or if the squirrels would commandeer the feeder, so I waited to see what would happen. Within days, the birds became regular visitors, and our...
Sep 30, 2013 | Challenges in Calling, Encouraging Words
As I prepared quesadillas, I was listening to a PGA game. The golfer who began the round as the clear leader missed several putts and now was falling far short of winning the game. As he prepared to putt the 18th hole, the commentator remarked, “Well, he got some...
Sep 12, 2013 | Encouraging Words
Audrey was telling me about her third day as a second grader. I asked if anything had not gone as expected and she shared, “I took the new girl to the nurse.” I asked her to tell me about it. While licking her Popsicle, Audrey related, “We were playing on the...
