The Balm of Humility

It happened while we were playing Wolves and Sheep at Bible Club. The “wolves” were tagging the “sheep,” freezing them in place. My oldest son was the “Good Shepherd” who was able to unfreeze the sheep by tagging them, and the wolves did not have the power to freeze him. Bea, a spindly seven yearContinue reading “The Balm of Humility”

Needy

Runty pigs are needy. Besides food and water, they need warmth, protection, and extra medical care.  Two of our sows farrowed last week, and out of nineteen piglets, one was a runt. In a Charlotte’s Web scenario, I brought the little pig into the garage. It was unresponsive, with mud plugging its nose and mouth.Continue reading “Needy”

Sitting at the Feet of Jesus

This week’s article details abuse and sensitive subject matter. It is my aim to uphold the healing and comfort of Christ instead of controversy or hurt. I recommend the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors if you or a loved one would like to seek counseling on any of these topics. After her mother died, aContinue reading “Sitting at the Feet of Jesus”

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”

Perspective

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” I ask the ten-year-old in my Sunday school class. “A teacher.” There’s a short pause after my slightly distracted, “Oh, that’s nice.” Then, she says, “But really, I just want God to come back.” This gets my attention. I know she’s talking about Jesus. “HowContinue reading “Perspective”

The Lamb

We took a field trip to Myrvik Farms in Edmore, ND last week. Their Katahdin Hair sheep were lambing. My children held the lambs and learned about their care and routines.  The gentle faces, soft hair, and wobbly legs brought the startling horror of sacrifice into stark contrast. Why did it have to be theContinue reading “The Lamb”

Take a Stab at Doubt

The Gospel writers all take a stab at doubt. As they write about life, they put doubt to death.  A policeman in my community once told me, “You know its Spring when the first stabbing of the year happens.” I would rather think about chicks and bunnies, but his point was that people who canContinue reading “Take a Stab at Doubt”