“What are you doing?” my friend Sally asked me as I pulled out dandelion after dandelion. “Getting rid of these dandelions.” “Oh,” she watched as I continued my futile efforts to rid the yard of these weeds. “I like dandelions. I like seeing fields of yellow.” I continued pulling but in that moment a belief […]
Read MoreThere are forty days of Lent, fifty days in the Easter Season. That means we are meant to spend more time rejoicing than we spend repenting! And yet we fail to do that. Why? We spend so much time focusing on Lent, making sacrifices, striving to grow in our faith, then Easter comes and we […]
Read MoreFor thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Alleluia! Doxology – Walter Brueggemann at a conference on “Training for Wonder,” exclaimed that doxology needs to be exuberant, a self-abandonment in response to the inexplicable generosity of God. Easter certainly is a time for doxology, exuberant praise of God for all […]
Read MoreEvery Lent he followed a strenuous discipline of prayer and fasting, eating very little. He considered this sacrifice to be so little in comparison to all Jesus did for us. His children, however, dreaded this season because, beset by hunger pains, he was irritable and cranky all Lent. The woman had just lost her baby. […]
Read MoreYou know the type — they come to work tired after volunteering for their church pantry or the numerous committees they serve on, wear their ashes like a gold medal, and are sure to tell you about the many charities they support with their donations. Jesus had choice words about such individuals. “Beware of practicing […]
Read More“Tend to undertake too much, then somehow get it done.” That is one of the traits of the Meyers Briggs INFP personality. “Yes!” I say every time I read this. “That’s me!” I over-extend myself, take on more than is reasonably possible, then get it done. I take pride in this. But then comes the […]
Read MoreWe are not quite halfway through Lent. How is it going? Have you been able to maintain your Lenten commitments? Last Wednesday morning I posted that I had given up sweets for Lent. At noon I attended a luncheon meeting. Sitting in front of me in all its delicious splendor was a large chocolate chip […]
Read MoreSo you finished off the last paczki and feasted on all of your favorite food and drink in anticipation of jump starting your diet on Ash Wednesday and getting back on track with your New Year’s resolution to lose weight. What’s wrong with that? Isn’t God all about second chances? Here’s your opportunity to give […]
Read MoreDo your mornings in Lent ever sound like this? “I was thinking I’d make spaghetti for dinner.” “Oh.” “What’s wrong?” “I can’t put Parmesan cheese on the spaghetti.” “No, you can’t.” No response. “So, does that mean we can’t have spaghetti until Lent is over?” Again no response. We’ve had this discussion before. We’ve only […]
Read MoreDeitrich Bonhoeffer in his book, Psalms: the Prayer Book of the Bible, says: “All the prayers of Holy Scripture are summarized in the Lord’s Prayer, and are contained in its immeasurable breadth. They are not made superfluous by the Lord’s Prayer but constitute the inexhaustible richness of the Lord’s Prayer as the Lord’s Prayer is […]
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