The Crazy Lady – A Deeper Family Post

Somehow, I managed to lose sight of the fact that the first Thursday of August was also the first day of the month. So, I blew my assigned date for the first time. However, my editor was gracious … Read more...

A Necessary Lament

When we built our worship center nearly 10 years ago, our community was in a time of transition. A long-term senior pastor had recently left to assume a denominational position, a kind-hearted … Read more...

Remembering Helen – Five Minute Friday

I'm not at all sure how this will come out, as the prompt this week brought to mind something that happened to me a couple of times lately -- a memory was stirred. And having that happen twice in a … Read more...

Day by Day – A Guest Post for Micha Boyett

When I was 17 years old and a recent high school graduate, waiting to both lose and find myself in a very large university setting, I spent a good part of that last carefree summer volunteering as a … Read more...

Learning to Listen: A Guest Post with Anita Mathias

Many years ago, one of my dearest friends pinpointed a particular problem of mine: I wasn’t really listening when she talked to me. Oh, I was physically present, with my body turned towards her, … Read more...

Midweek Service: Inside Out and Upside Down

This will be the final sermon in this 10-part series of oldies. I preached it in the last year of my ministry and began it with a Readers' Theater reading of the text, something I love to do from … Read more...

What I Did Yesterday: A Photo Essay

If you know me very well, you quickly become aware that I am a mass of contradictions. One minute, calm and self-confident, the next minute, a mess of insecurities and fears I'm working on it, but … Read more...

Midweek Service: Coming Home

We're nearing the end of this summertime series of oldies, and this one is about 10 years old, I think. In honor of our time away on Kauai this window is from the beautiful historic church in … Read more...

The Welcoming Sound of Vowels: A Photo Essay

There was just a small spot of light on the pew, the one just below the open window. The window made of green sea foam glass, through which the strong Hawaiian sun filters itself into … Read more...