Toxicity kills but healing is possible…even in the soil of our hearts.
Walking along the grass in my yard, I saw it and it saddened me. The “It” I saw was a bare spot in an otherwise green expanse of green grass. Three months earlier, tubing in the riding mower had become detached and gasoline had spilled into the soil. While it wasn’t my fault, I saw […]
Spring rains and the Spirit bring necessary changes in our lives.
The other day an unwelcome spring storm hit on Mother’s Day. The unrelenting, harsh winds took my breath away and eroded the landscape. Where once feet securely took secure steps, the softened ground had collapsed and joined in the newly formed stream. Rain soaked the ground and flooded the seedlings trying to sprout. Flowers that […]
Waves move us beyond where we would go under our own power
I heard a familiar verse the other day, but it took on new meaning. A child was singing the song, “America” and came to the line that said,” o beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain…” Waves of grain. I had never thought about waves on dry land. I had seen the swaying […]
“Holy” rain brings change, and that is a good thing.
Rain fell today and I got soaked. And it was good! I had originally planned to mow grass today. But upon close inspection, patches of grass had barely grown from the previous week. And some of the blades had started to turn from a healthy green to a questionable brown. Rain was needed. And down, […]
Mowing Grass Informs Our Walk of Faith
I love mowing the lawn. Ever since I was a kid, if I had a chance to walk behind that push mower and go back and forth, I did. Now – true confessions – as a teenage country girl, summer time meant I usually wore a tank top or a bathing suit top while cutting […]
Fear can steal our faith or fuel our faith – it depends on how we see God in the land where we are placed.
During the past week, I spent vacation time in the Great Smokey Mountains near Gatlinburg, TN. Rafting down the river as it kept moving past the turns in its path and boulders in its way. Climbing up steep inclines to see mountain vistas that left me breathless. Walking along paths beneath a canopy of towering […]
Finding the blessing in the tractor “parades” of life
Heading down the highway, I had to smile when I saw a seasonal phenomenon that some drivers embrace and other drivers despise. The tractor “parade”. Now for those who do not live or travel through rural areas with an abundance of farm fields and motorized equipment – let me enlighten you. At times, a large […]
It’s not supposed to be like this – and yet, God isn’t done
Snow in April. Not unheard of in our area but unusual for so late in the month. I mean, next week, the month of May begins – you know, the emergence of May flowers. And yet, regardless of the date on our organized calendars, the snow flurries spotted yesterday and freezing temperatures last night seemingly […]
Seasons of “stench” are needed to stretch and grow our faith in transformative ways
Opening the door this morning I am convinced Spring has arrived. Not because of the arrival of Daylight Savings Time which once again compels me to wake up in pre-dawn hours. Not because the morning sparkle of frost has been replaced by pliable glistening of dew. Not even because of emerging green blades of daffodils […]
It’s not going to look like you think it will
The weather was supposed to be snow this morning, but all I see is rain. This past week, I learned of my next pastoral appointment, as of July 1, 2021 – and it was a surprise to me. As part of the itinerate system in the United Methodist Church, each pastor knows the feeing when […]