Dirt Under the Table

Whenever I sweep under my dining room table, I wonder, “How could this much dirt accumulate so quickly?” I actually took the time to ponder the answer today, and the answer is that our family sits there a lot. We eat there. We worship there. We learn there. We craft there. We cry and laughContinue reading “Dirt Under the Table”

And the Word was Rare

Summer is coming, and I recently got the calendar out to note the camps, swimming lessons, mission teams, and church events. The busy-ness of Spring gave me pause before I loaded the day squares with pink, purple, and green ink. Do I really need to be doing all these things? In my mind’s eye, IContinue reading “And the Word was Rare”

The Burden of Justice

My social media feed was filled with cries for justice this week. A man was killed, and the suspect eluded authorities for several days. The community would not rest until it had justice. When I first moved to my community, I gave a young woman a ride. She was in foster care and had sufferedContinue reading “The Burden of Justice”

Out of Time

Over the holidays, aging grandparents and growing children reminded me that time never stands still.     As the New Year dawns, we stuff calendars with dates and times, trying to find room for every event and appointment. A valuable measuring tool becomes an enemy on a daily basis as we race against time, fight againstContinue reading “Out of Time”

Paul’s Peace

When my grandmother passed away, I inherited a unique Kurdish kilim. It is a woven hall runner with intricately made designs. When I turn it over to clean, I am always amazed at the tangles of knots and thread on the back. The artisans who weave kilims have an amazing skill. Psalm 139 tells usContinue reading “Paul’s Peace”

John’s Love

The disciple John chose a nickname for himself: the disciple whom Jesus loved. He defined himself by the love of Jesus. He knew what love was because He had known Jesus. When a woman finds out that she is expecting a baby, she often starts eating differently, exercising differently, and planning differently. You can tellContinue reading “John’s Love”

Something out of Nothing

This week, my kindergartener and I studied Elisha and the Widow’s jars. Our Bible study routine is always the same. I get out the flannel board, and he gets out the Bible. I tell the same Bible story every morning for the whole week, and he never gets tired of it. Actually, if I missContinue reading “Something out of Nothing”