Sometimes real beauty can only be discovered by adversity. When we go through the fire, common things are refined into something uncommon. Challenge and pain can uncover hidden virtues, passions, and possibilities. Watching nature transition from the luscious life of summer to the vibrant beauty of autumn, it is hard to miss that a deeper beauty is revealed in the process of letting go. As […]
Thank you for your patience. The post I planned for yesterday no longer felt right, and what I sensed I should write needed time to be written with the right words. This past weekend, our region learned of the death of Jamey Rodemeyer, a 14 year old boy who was struggling with some significant issues in his life. He was also dealing with bullies. On […]
It’s nice to share. That is what I was taught when I was younger and what we taught our children when we became parents. Generosity is a virtue that is important to cultivate, but equally important to the need to give is understanding what we should be giving. When we share things that bless others, make them stronger and encourage them to experience all that […]
Earlier today, I commented on a Facebook post regarding a Christian perspective on environmental concerns. It was a link to a blog post on the Nature Conservancy site and was a wonderful challenge to Christians to take responsibility for the stewardship of the earth. In my comment, I affirmed the quality of the piece and the Nature Conservancy’s willingness to post it. I added my […]
There is something about good art and the wonder of the artist’s eye that opens our eyes to the beauty that is around us. When we look through this creative vision, we see the grand wonders of creation, but we are also drawn to the smaller pieces that make up the whole. Even each color and brushstroke are pieces of beauty hidden within the bigger […]
The snow is falling for the first time this year. Some would say that the dreaded day arrived, but for our family we celebrate that it is finally here. In fact, we make a point each year to celebrate first day of snow as a very special day. Typically, when I share my love for snow and all of the winter activity, people, even my […]
The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion[b] like a young wild ox. […]
“Who am I?” It was a simple question asked by the Trappist monk Thomas Merton, to which he answered, “I am one loved by Christ.” All of us wrestle with our identity and would that it were only though our teenage years of self discovery. Many of us are haunted by the question of who we are and what our place is in the world. […]
Have you ever noticed how easily some things go unnoticed? All too often we grow comfortable with what we know and what we see. Before long, we are blinded to things that are amazingly visible to others. Without an awakening or some intervention that causes us to look afresh at our lives and our environment we remain unaware. In one way, this is a gift. […]
“How is it that hardly any major religion has looked at science and concluded, “This is better than we thought! The Universe is much bigger than our prophets said—grander, more subtle, more elegant. God must be even greater than we dreamed”? Instead they say, “No, no, no! My god is a little god, and I want him to stay that way.” — Carl Sagan One […]