Steadfast joy

From time to time, I am told by well-meaning friends and family that I could be doing so much more with my life than I already do. I could be making more money. I could be applying myself in different capacities. I could be working a job that is more intellectual than I already do. […]

We are but dust

There is so much of our lives that we cannot control, even as we try to do so. We can make all sorts of plans. We can dream huge dreams and work to try to achieve them. We can take steps to do what we want to do, but still life throws us curveballs. Like […]

Agitators

Agitate (verb): to excite and often trouble the mind or feelings of; to disturb; to discuss excitedly and earnestly; to stir up public discussion of; to give motion to; to attempt to arouse public feeling The wildfires in the Los Angeles area have been on my mind the past few weeks, as they have been […]

Waiting for peace

It was a year ago that the other half and I were stuck in a period of waiting. We were in the process of closing on our first house, this tiny abode in our little swath of the Midwest. The waiting period was anything but peaceful, as there were stresses, a portion of the roof […]

Continuing the journey

We are in a season of Advent once more. In the Northern Hemisphere, the days are shorter and the nights grow long. In my little swath of the Midwest, snow and chilly weather abound, creating havoc at times. Read any newspaper or even scroll through the comments on social media and it seems that joy, […]

From grief to hope

It’s the first of December and the front room of my little house is in disarray. There are totes everywhere, half opened and partially rummaged through. Fall decorations sit on the floor. My Christmas tree is up and decorated (and then at times partly undecorated by the felines). I have a few lights in the […]

Be Generous

“The Church is the Church only when it exists for others…not dominating, but helping and serving. It must tell men of every calling what it means to live for Christ, to exist for others.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison There seems to be a contagion in this land. Well, to be fair, history […]

Consider the potter

This past weekend, the tiny church that I attend in this little swath of the Midwest had a special meeting after Sunday’s worship with a member vote. We voted on adopting the following welcoming statement and identity as a church: Norwalk Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is an Open and Affirming congregation. Inspired by our […]

Put on the Full Armor of God

Too much has been done hatefully “in the name of Christ.” Wars have been fought, people have been persecuted, laws have been passed that oppress and marginalize… all in the name of Christ. And as a result, the idea of Christianity has become maligned with the idea of persecution, of judgementalism, of fundamentalism. It’s a […]

I can do all of this? Really??????

I live in the Hawkeye state, otherwise known as Iowa. Even I, who cares very little for sports, have heard of the prowess of the female American basketball player Caitlin Clark. It’s hard not to miss it, since her name has been mentioned a great deal this year at both the collegiate and the professional […]