"Everyone thinks I am weird!" I swept the kitchen floor late that night and cried. The house was silent except for the small sounds of slumbering. I hung up my broom and restlessly moved around the living room, straightening a pillow, putting away a few forgotten pieces of laundry. I switched off the last lamp. The streetlight shone …
Tag: loneliness
That I May Gain Christ
About a year ago when Will and I were still driving the 75 miles back to our church in Hutchinson, I would often spend a good part of the drive reading Scripture aloud. Will would listen, and then we would talk about it. That was my favorite part of Sunday in those days--the early morning …
To my former church community
I'm sorry that you feel rejected, you mean more to me than you'll ever know. I grew among you, wrapped in love, cradled in grace. You laughed with me in my joys, and held my hand through my pain. When my unborn baby died, you brought roses and wept. Then later you dandled my fat, wriggling babies, …
Psalm 123
To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon …
A Pinched-off Piece Of Clay
After Job's three friends finished their rebukes, a firebrand named Elihu gave his piece. Elihu was angry at the incompetency of Job's friends, and unleashed his own tirade. These words from Elihu caught my attention: Behold, I am toward God as you are; I too was pinched off from a piece of clay. Job 33:6 …
Giving Blood, Receiving Friendship
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 …
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 …
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 …