This autumn season has been a particularly lonely one, as I described in my post Sojourners. My old group of friends is winnowing down to a few faithful ones, and my new group of friends is mostly still in that semi-awkward stage. I feel my world tilting, and I'm waiting for it to balance in the direction God has …
Month: October 2015
Helping Daddy
My son ought to be in nursery school, playing with brightly colored toys. And (gasp) he hasn't even started learning the alphabet yet, at 18 months old! Instead, he spends his days doing this: Give me a hammer and some sawdust, any day, Mom! Best of all, I like to help Daddy. Don't you see …
A discussion about church
If you struggle with some aspects of the Mennonite culture, here is a place to read what others are saying and feeling. Asher Witmer is married to my cousin Teresa; they have two little boys and live in Thailand. Asher is passionate about God's kingdom, and tackles sticky issues with energy and grace. I have been …
hypothesis
If you remember, the last part of the quote that spurred my post Revival and Evangelism went like this: A church which does not go out into the world to press the claims of the Kingdom would not know revival if it came. -Robert E. Coleman I have been turning that over in my mind, …
Revival and Evangelism
Yesterday I braced myself and attacked my overflowing bookshelves. Some books went on a stack for my garage sale this weekend, others I set aside for the church library, and still others I plunked into the trash because too much of the book was already gone and who can stand to read a book minus the …
Desolate
Excuse me if I weep ...the charm of this sweet autumn day reminds me of the charm of one I loved. This horizon, like hers, stretches fluently into a misty miraging ethereal distance. These trees, like dreams once dreamed by her, flash gilt-edged red in high triumph. This wind, like her spirit, pushes laughter past …
This Family
Our family sat on the porch, taking in the beautiful fall weather while eating our lunch. During a rare lull in the conversation, Elijah said: "You know what I think about this family? It needs improvements." The mother of this family nearly choked on her peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich. (In spite of her laughter, she was painfully aware …
Sojourners
I wake up with a start. I have been dreaming again. In my dream, a big group of people from my home church were sitting in a circle, eating cinnamon rolls and talking. I shut my eyes again and try to swallow that sick feeling that is so familiar. My mind resists, and brings up …
Lord, please excuse us
We sink into our chairs around the table for supper. Everybody grabs hands, and holds them nicely. (Lucky, this time.) Then Elijah, my 8-year-old son, prays. The first sentence or two blurs by, then I hear him hastily add... "Now Lord, please excuse us because we're really hungry! Amen." (The adults in the house shake with suppressed …
Miracles and the Gospel
As I screwed on doorknobs at the bed-and-breakfast that Will is remodeling, my mind toyed with a dilemma that has niggled at me for years. When I got home, I pulled out a pen and paper to scribble down two statements I often heard taught that seemed contradictory. I messed with turning them into syllogisms, but gave up …
arabah rejoice 