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Thankful
I remember what it was like before – before I began to understand God’s love. It was a restless, driven, searching time. Many days were interesting and lively yet in the end, unfulfilling. Thankfully, now it is different. Today, years have passed. Some good, some challenging. There are people who are part of the fabric of my life who are no longer here. Yes, I miss them. You might think it could be a melancholy time. It isn’t. Sure, I’ve had those days. Times when I make the dreadful mistake of comparing my life to some cultural “norm” – that is so unhelpful! All those kinds of comparisons tend to…
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Learning Up
It’s cloudy and the winds are shifting today. You can feel it when you walk outside. The clouds are acrobats of grey tumbling overhead. You can almost feel the northern winds approaching, even though the temperatures are mild just now. Also today I’ve been thinking about the sovereignty of God. With our world and culture in such a state of agitation, one almost can’t help but wonder what is next. It seems, like the skies above, our very world is in a chaotic time of change. I remember when I was in Music School, they told us in times of social and cultural revolution, the music also changed dramatically. It…
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Hope…Realized!
Have you ever prayed for something or someone? I mean, really prayed? Sometimes our prayer is answered right away…other times, there may be a big quiet. Quiet. It can be discouraging. Quiet. It can be off-putting. Quiet can make a person doubt. So – do you quit? Do you stop praying? Do you give up because the outcome isn’t apparent? NO. Ross Parsley (my pastor) is quoted as saying, “We don’t believe in an outcome, we believe in a Person…” Which brings me to the rest of this post. About 25 years ago (more or less) I prayed for someone HARD. Every day. All the time. For some reason this…
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Sweet Memories & Missing
It’s been almost a year since Mom has been gone. In some ways I can hardly believe it. In others, it seems like ages – too long – since we talked. I thought I was “prepared”. I mean, after losing one parent, you should know the drill, right? Not so much. Maybe it’s because the seasons are changing, and that has brought these feelings into sharp relief. I simply don’t know. What I do know is that every day I still miss them. Papa has been gone now for 14 years. That’s even harder to believe. There are so many inconsequential things I wish I could talk with them about…
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Level Playing Field
In the quiet there is clarity – A moment of light no darkness can diminish. There are voices raised, strident and strong, Messages of anger and divide. What is the destination? Who have we become? In the solitude there is assurance – Treasure the intangibles in life, because they are not guaranteed. Accusations are not necessarily fact and can be spread in sinister whispers. Choose to be a beacon of hope. Give honor to each other. Stand firm on the sure foundation of Truth. Never waver in doing what is best, even if it is hard. Be a reflection of the perfect strength and purpose of God. “…the fruit of…
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What I Wish Today
Today there is much sadness. As I listen to the nation tearing itself apart, here is my prayer…these words ring true today. Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy; O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it…
