Reflections for Lent – right before Palm Sunday Sorry I’ve been MIA. It turns out that I got pneumonia. And that sinus infection that wouldn’t go away? … apparently, not so much. Migraines, maybe? Or so the ENT thinks … I’m off to the neurologist next. #meetingmydeductibleinthefirstquarter #insurancereallyisridiculous #gratefulforitanyway #gladforthoughtfuldoctors Last Saturday I finally drugContinueContinue reading “Sidewalk Flowers: Pneumonia”
Category Archives: Reflections
Sidewalk Flowers: A day at a time
Reflections for Lent – Day 14 We received some hard news about our newest kitten, Marcella Maple Syrup (yes, that’s her name. She came with the Maple Syrup, but Marcella was added as all our cats get names of theologians. Marcella is named after Marcella Althaus-Reid.). We call her Marci for short. Back in October,ContinueContinue reading “Sidewalk Flowers: A day at a time”
Sidewalk Flowers: Outside the Bubble
Reflections for Lent – Day 11 My husband told me about the act of terrorism in Christchurch on the way to dinner. It’s the first major tragedy of this Lenten season. And it was an interesting experience to not be on Facebook. Actually, it was great. I’m sure there were a million shares of newsContinueContinue reading “Sidewalk Flowers: Outside the Bubble”
Sidewalk Flowers: Doughnut Holes and Hippopotami
Reflections for Lent – Day 10 Okay, first of all, I can’t believe how easy it was to find pictures of hippos and doughnuts together. The internet is a strange and wondrous place… So, back to the reflection at hand. This week, I’ve gotten to do chapel with our preschool kids. It’s always an interestingContinueContinue reading “Sidewalk Flowers: Doughnut Holes and Hippopotami”
Sidewalk flowers: Experiments
Reflections for Lent 2019 – Day 9 I really hate it when an experiment is an unmitigated failure. Of course, I’m sure you could argue that an experiment is never a failure if you learn something from it. I get that. And yet… With lots of reflection over the course of this past year, weContinueContinue reading “Sidewalk flowers: Experiments”
Sidewalk Flowers: Ways to say “I love you.”
Reflections for Lent – Day 6 Yesterday at church, parishioners shared with me their favorite cures to sinus infections and colds (yes, I’m sick … still). They asked a whole lot of “Have you tried …?” and offered all sorts of help. I felt a bit overwhelmed. I’m not used to being taken care ofContinueContinue reading “Sidewalk Flowers: Ways to say “I love you.””
Sidewalk Flowers: Falling apart
BEIJING, CHINA: A man enters a crumbling structure along the the Great Wall at Qinglongxia, north of Beijing, 16 July 2003. (Photo credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images) Reflections for Lent – Day 5 Did you know the Great Wall of China is crumbling? Apparently, “State media reported 01 December 2003 only about one third ofContinueContinue reading “Sidewalk Flowers: Falling apart”
Sidewalk Flowers: Searching
Cutting back an overgrown path Reflections on Lent 2019 – Day 4 I mentioned in my first reflection for Lent that I have been feeling the need to open space up in my life. Space, as in time on my calendar, as in less stuff in my house, as in less weight on my bodyContinueContinue reading “Sidewalk Flowers: Searching”
Sidewalk Flowers: Rest
Reflections on Lent 2019 – Day 3 Today is my day off. I know, my initial agreement with the congregation actually says I get two days off a week. I’ve never figured out how to do that. Actually, I’m not so great at always taking one day. Good Shepherd is the kind of place whereContinueContinue reading “Sidewalk Flowers: Rest”
Sidewalk Flowers
Reflections for Lent 2019 – Day 1 It’s one of those wordless children’s books where the pictures tell stories and convey more meaning than a million pages of text. Jon Arno Lawson and Sydney Smith’s Sidewalk Flowers is a story in which a child and her father are walking through a city together running errandsContinueContinue reading “Sidewalk Flowers”
Angels at the Gas Station
She called me an angel sent by God. “I know some people who have other opinions,” I thought to myself Because, well, I do And because well, I have that voice in my head And because well, I’m just human. I was just filling her tank with gas. I just wanted to help. To listen.ContinueContinue reading “Angels at the Gas Station”
Living Questions
“There’s no proof that God exists so I don’t believe in God.” *sigh* confirmation class challenger pushing the new pastor “You believe in lots of things you have no proof for.” Ugh. The words die as they fall off my lips It’s not the answer I long for Not the answer that touches my soulContinueContinue reading “Living Questions”
Radical
“The more radical a person is, the more fully he or she enters into reality so that, knowing it better, he or she can better transform it. This individual is not afraid to confront, to listen, to see the world unveiled. This person is not afraid to meet the people or to enter into dialogueContinueContinue reading “Radical”
Looking for God
The confirmation project for our last year confirmation student(s) is to work with a mentor to answer and present their own personal answer to one of several proposed questions as they and the mentor talk about life and faith and being church together. In a series of newsletter articles, I’m inviting the congregation to alsoContinueContinue reading “Looking for God”
Remain with me
A reflection for Good Friday. The Gospel: John 18:1 – 19:42 (sung) Stay with me Remain here with me Watch and pray Watch and pray … These words, which come from a Taize chant, come from a different Gospel account of Jesus’ passion. They are from Jesus’ lips asking his disciples to stay awake inContinueContinue reading “Remain with me”
The Prayer of Service
A meditation for Maundy Thursday. The gospel text: John 13:1-35 When my Granddad died, my Grammy and my mom — his wife and daughter— cleaned. A lot. They got incredibly busy with emptying closets and cleaning up the house. And there was knitting. And cooking. And running errands. And doing what needed to be doneContinueContinue reading “The Prayer of Service”
Death becomes Birth
“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was muchContinueContinue reading “Death becomes Birth”
On retreat – A poem
I went walking this morning The air hung heavy with moisture As the winter lets go And the rain softly falls The light—perfect So that the beech leaves—shaking at the slightest breeze— glowed. The eerie – white – yellow leaves have begun to fall And I smile, think how much they remind me of feathers —angelContinueContinue reading “On retreat – A poem”
Jabbok Dawn 