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 …
No Frigate Like a Book
Books have a happy existence at our house. They are never lonely--they are frequently discussed and admired. Our bookshelves often have books untidily piled on top of the rows with covers and pages spilling out, until someone (I won't say who) comes along and says, "This is a mess! We have too many books!" Out go the books that …
A note for readers…
Someone asked me how to comment on my blog. If you want to comment (and I'm pleased if you do!) click on the title of the post. Then scroll down until you get to the comments section. Also, sometimes I include links to articles on the web. If you see words highlighted in red, they contain …
Arabah
Writing this is going to hurt, but I want to share it with you because it's a big part of my life story. Maybe you've noticed, the title for my blog comes from a verse in Isaiah. The wilderness and the desert will be glad, And the Arabah will rejoice and blossom; Like the crocus …
Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Weekend
The town was abuzz for months preparing for an event that took place this weekend. The event is called the Peace Treaty celebration, to remember the Medicine Lodge Treaty signed in October of 1867 between the United States government and the Plains Indians. However, the activities this weekend focused on more than Indian history. A panorama …
Jerusalem, the Golden
This time I am not talking about heaven, although I am certainly looking forward to "new heavens and a new earth" (2 Peter 3:13). When we moved to Medicine Lodge, I gave up my beautiful garden that I had in the country. The garden was located in what used to be a sheep corral, and had …
The Heart of a Woman
The heart of a woman goes forth with the dawn, As a lone bird, soft winging, so restlessly on, Afar o’er life’s turrets and vales does it roam In the wake of those echoes the heart calls home. ... The heart of a woman falls back with the night, And enters some alien cage in …
If You Hear His Voice, Do Not Harden Your Heart
I have been reading and re-reading the book of Hebrews. Rich, astonishing themes play throughout the book. This is what impressed me the most during the last read: Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in …
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Peculiar People
Will paused after reading the missions newsletter, and tossed it to me. "Hey did you read this?" I picked it up, and read the article. It was about "peculiar people," taken from the King James Version of 1 Peter 2:9. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that …
arabah rejoice 