noticing and responding to God in our everyday life
“I trust in nature for the stable laws of beauty and utility. Spring shall plant and autumn garner to the end of time.” Robert Browning The rhythm of the seasons. One of the most beautiful rhythms I know. Planting. Growing. Harvesting. Resting. Sometimes I want to rush, “no more winter” my plea. But deep in […]
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“I have an idea Mama. Let’s each go up to the buffet and try something we have never had before.” We are sitting at his favorite Chinese restuarant. I soak up the minutes and his chatter. Jumping from school to baseball to the food we are eating and back again. Its just the two […]
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“The essential thing ‘in heaven and earth’ is . . . that there should be long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living.” Friedrich Nietzsche “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction” is a book by Eugene Peterson in […]
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“There is more to life than simply increasing its speed.” Gandhi This week we have looked at Beauty in Work (here), Beauty in Play (here) and now today, Beauty in Rest. Ahh, rest. Something that we long for. Something we know we need. Something we so often do NOT choose. Probably of the three, rest is […]
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“Men do not quit playing because they grow old. They grow old because they quit playing.” Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. Do you associate play with youthfulness? I wrote last week on playfulness and it does seem children have much to teach us. Play does bring out something in us that doesn’t always have a way […]
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“There are two kinds of people….workers and whiners.” Bob Gillgrist My father in law has lots of axioms. I first heard this one when Rob and I were dating, and I have to tell you, I was a bit concerned. Because I didn’t know if I would be called a ‘worker‘. And I didn’t like […]
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I wonder how your Monday is starting off? It has a reputation of course for not being an agreeable day. Not typically our vote for the day of the week most filled with beauty. So as you begin your week, in whatever state of emotion or number of items on your to do list, here […]
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Sabbath. Set aside an hour. An afternoon. A day. Whatever this week can do. Be intentional. Light a candle. Welcome Sabbath in. Make a Sabbath box, mark the start by putting in it anything that will distract. A cell phone, car keys, a symbol. Go for a walk. Linger over a meal with friends. Play […]
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“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.” John Muir We drive the long way home. The little one in the back knows, I’ve been looking for places of beauty. “Look, beauty!” A place of nourishment […]
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There is beauty in heartache. There is beauty in redemption. They stand alone. Each their own, unique offering to our souls. There is beauty in both heartache and in redemption. Beauty in both trials and celebrations. Beauty in both waiting and receiving. Beauty in both tears and laughter. But we often live in an ‘either/or’ […]
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It was February 2007 and Rob and I sat in a library in North Seattle. I saw that I missed a phone call from our adoption social worker. I stepped outside to call her back. “I have a referral for you and Rob. I am emailing you the information now.” I try to make sense […]
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“There is no heartbeat.” There was last week. There is not this week. Again. The ultrasound machine and words being spoken fade far from me. Again. We are alone in a room of uncomfortable faces. Alone with people who want so desperately to be giving us different news. Again. Doctors and nurses who have fought […]
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And this button if you would like to read last years:
