In the Upper Midwest, the transition to spring is slow. As our bodies adjust to 75* days, we’re forced to pull on our snowboots to shovel the driveway to get to work the next day. Even the 10 day forecast can’t tell you what to expect. But that’s the nature of transition. You odn’t know hwat challenges are going to…
Uncertainty and Comfort
Spring Break is flooding my social media. I have friends building houses in Houston and making friends with mangoes in Florida, and Facebook is reminding me that two years ago on this day I was posting pictures of Panama City Beach sunsets. But my life now doesn’t have the ebbing and flowing cycles of the school calendar, and so…
At the Foot of the Cross
The new year, besides bringing copious amounts of green tea with lemon and honey to soothe the cold that always seems to come with the arrival of January 1st, brings a time of self reflection. And as I look at the last year- a year primarily defined b transitions, I found myself disappointed i myself. Not for anything specific, just…
The Intersection of Faith and Politics
If I could describe my experience engaging in politics in one word, it would be “disillusionment.” That shouldn’t be surprising when the amount of misconduct of political figures in the news is taken into account. Roy Moore, an advocate for Christian theocracy by day, an alleged sexual predator of fourteen year old girls when the cameras aren’t rolling. My state…
Prestige and Trust
Prestige. That is the name of the elusive idol that calls out to my heart when my worries, plans, or insecurities drown ou the voice of the Holy Spirit. I’ve always been competitive. Like, jumping up and down in anger in the kitchen because my partner outbid me and went set in a card game kind of competitive. I don’t…
Take Courage
“The inner voice, “Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid,” assures that our security rests in having no security.” -Brennan Manning, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat I don’t think of myself as a courageous person. my idea of an adventure is getting up early on Sunday morning to eat blueberry waffles and biscuits and gravy at a restaurant I’ve never…
Seeking Wisdom in the Forest
I’ve been reading Proverbs for what seems like forever, and throughout it, “wisdom” keeps popping up: its importance and value, our need for it, the danger of deserting it, habits of wise people, and what it says.” Proverbs is classified as a “wisdom book,” so it’s not surprising that wisdom is an overarching theme, but sometimes, it feels like…