Forgive us all, Lord
“Forgive us our trespasses” we say in prayer. Why not “forgive me my trespasses”? Why am I asking forgiveness for all those other people? Like Congress. Or convicted felons Or embezzlers Or child abusers Oh my goodness. I must ask God to forgive us all, even those I don’t feel “deserve” forgiveness. Lump us all in there […]
Can you hear me now?
When someone has noise in their ears, you have to touch them to get their attention. A woman is sitting on the two-seater sofa at Starbucks. We, a group of three with coffees in hand, prepare to sit down. There are two free seats, plus the seat on the sofa next to the woman. She […]
Putty in the hands of a playful God
Ah, the smell of Play-Doh. Oh, the memories of…. rolling, shaping, twisting, turning, pressing and pulling. Can’t you just smell it? What am I making? Actually, nothing. Just enjoying working the Doh, which I have replaced with the “adult” version. Putty — therapy putty, to be exact. The kind they give you “for free” when […]
How heavy is my daily bread?
I love bread. Especially, the apple scrapple from the Great Harvest Bakery. The chewy goodness of baked white bread (whole wheat doesn’t do it for me) mixed with apple and cinnamon. I eat it in great chunks on the way home from the store. Handfuls ripped right off the loaf, crumbs falling all over the […]
If I worry, am I bad?
My friend says, “I am not a worrier.” Is that possible? Real? True? Worry and I have known each other a long time. I can’t say I don’t worry. Can’t say I won’t worry. Worry butts in every now and then and, actually, I think that is a healthy thing for me now. But it […]
My dot-to-dot life
I jump from moment to moment, flying, arching through death-defying leaps. Often landing just short of my target and kicking furiously to hoist myself onto it. Onto the lily pad, floating in welcome. Is life just a series of these landing pads? Mere dots? Seen from God’s vantage point, the distance between them diminishes. Closer […]
Motion activated
How can you prepare to be surprised by God? My way, truthfully, is to pack every possible option. To bring every book I might need, every piece of equipment I might demonstrate, and more. I prepare and work out the details, sketching and outlining and scratching in more notes in the margin. I prepare out […]
The moment after the masterpiece
“The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.”Psalm 19:1 Temporarily. I mean how long does a sunrise last? I wandered down the driveway to collect the newspaper this morning, but on the way I knew something special was waiting. I could see the pinkish glow reflecting off asphalt and […]
Supreme effort
Exertion focuses you. But not on the exertion. When we were much younger, my husband and I went on a bike touring trip to Vermont. It was the intermediate and advanced excursion. Five delightful days pedaling through rolling hills past pastoral scenes of fields and barns and livestock. Vermont ain’t flat, as the t-shirt says. […]
Spirit of the Living God, an exercise
I wonder if the people who drive by my house think I am crazy. I am out on the front porch with my exercise band, stretching it, lifting it, pulling, twisting, raising, lowering. Sometimes I sing “Spirit of the living God” out loud; sometimes I just hum it to myself. It probably just looks like […]