Garden Love Song
Although I've done it for many years now, seeing the first seeds push through the soil each spring fills me with amazement, joy, and hope. It is a reminder to me of God's love of life and the tiny miracles that take place every day.
Seasons of Growth
Everything visible, without exception, is the outpouring of God. Fr. Richard Rohr, “The Universal Christ” This year, more than most, I feel closer to nature and the changing seasons. It was just about a year ago, at the beginning of the pandemic, I started my long daily walks. It was also the beginning of spring and those vibrant changes filled me with hope. Since I’ve walked pretty much the same route for a year now, I’ve had a front row seat watching creation…
The In Between
As a child, I never really understood why scripture makes God’s people seem so discontented in the desert. They are freed from slavery in Egypt, provided with food and water by miraculous means, receive the ten commandments, and they get to see the active presence of God in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. I could never understand why they weren’t always in awe. Now, I find myself relating to the Hebrew wanderers. Beginnings are always…
Praying I Emerge a Butterfly
I have been fond of butterflies for many years now. I admire their beauty with various colors and designs, I marvel at the quiet way they move and float and dance along in nature, and I hold a special connection to them because both my grandmothers liked them. But, I think I also admire their courage and willingness to change. One of nature’s way of providing an example of God encouraging each of us to growth, even in the struggle and then new…
Growing Through the Cracks
“I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in them will bear much fruit…” John 15:5 I walk the same little route around my neighborhood each day and this vine growing through the fence really jumped out at me. The ivy plant encountered a foreboding obstacle in the fence there. But the plant just found a way to grow through the obstacle and keep growing. I find this such a good image for us during these difficult…
From Discernment to New Life
(Romans 12;1-8) When big decisions loom ahead, we often wonder what to do. We may ask ourselves, what does God want me to do? What does God want for us? What is the “best” decision? Utilizing wisdom and understanding in these moments is commonly known as discernment. The more time I have spent with this passage from Romans, the more I see that Paul is fleshing out the full meaning of discernment. The new life in Christ that Paul speaks about is not just about having more faith or doing the right things. The new life is the becoming, the transformation.
