In God’s Care
Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. (Jeremiah 17:7a NIV) May those who love us, love us; and those who don’t love us, may God turn their hearts; and if He doesn’t turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles so we’ll know them by their limping. ~Irish Blessing My Irish ancestors call that a blessing, but it’s definitely NOT from the Bible. What is a blessing? We tend to throw the words “blessed” and “blessing” around a lot in 21st century USA. People say that they celebrated another...
read moreAcquiring Humility in Prayer
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13 NASB I desire to practice prayer in a way that respects all that God has said to us on prayer. I’ve been on this quest since high school. I’d like to share two early experiences of prayer with you here. In 1976, Ron Hasegawa was my husband’s roommate. Ron and Kent shared a two-bedroom...
read moreChristmas Light for the World
I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life. John 8:12 NASB We’ve been de-Christmasing for two days now, undecorating and un-lighting our home. It’s always bittersweet and for me, a chore best done swiftly. This year, our youngest, Andrew, had a particularly difficult time with this chore as evidenced by his consistent and heartfelt wailing about each decoration taken down. “Where my tree go? You took my tree! Where lights? No! Keep lights!” he’d say, and on and on with his...
read moreA New Dawn
But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Malachi 4:2 (NIV) Healing…2021 was meant to be a year of collective healing. Or so I thought. After 2020 being a year of pruning, I thought 2021 would be a year of healing (see: A Year of Pruning|Creekside Covenant Church (ecreekside.com). For me, the light at the end of the tunnel during the pandemic felt like it would be the availability of the vaccine allowing for open travel, meals with...
read moreA Season of Waiting
For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. (Romans 8:19 NIV) Something happened this past November that hadn’t occurred since 2011. That’s right, the Michigan Wolverines football team finally beat Ohio State, snapping an 8-game losing streak (with 2020 canceled for a COVID outbreak) and handing seven-year coach Jim Harbaugh his first victory over the Buckeyes. To be honest, we didn’t expect it to take that long. When the Wolverines hired Harbaugh, he was an alumnus with success as player and coach at...
read moreWhat have I learned from COVID?
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But, resist him, firm in your faith. 1 Peter 5:8 NASB During a discussion about travel and the current roadblocks to it, someone quite sincerely asked, “What have we learned from COVID?” I can’t speak for others, but I have learned a tremendous amount. I remember the news reports of the virus in Wuhan, China, in the winter of 2019. At the time, I thought, “This will be just like SARS, bird flu and all the...
read moreThe Remote Connection
They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. (Colossians 2:19) Life during this pandemic has been difficult and compromising, to say the very least. Even now, with some of the original restrictions lifted, I still work remotely a fair amount of the time. My family still experiences church only online, since right now our kids are too young to get vaccinated. I am glad to still have the option of working remotely, but it has...
read moreAdvent Reflection
Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart. 1 Peter 22a NASB Carols have begun! On the last day of November, I wheeled Mom down to a Christmas concert at Emerald Heights. Residents were singing and playing ukuleles. It was my first group carol sing of the season though I’ve been singing Christmas carols with/to Mom since before Thanksgiving. Advent is all the things I love about Christmas with none of the Excessmas. It’s a good news time....
read moreTraining
Train up a child in the way he should go. Even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 NASB I will be honest with you. I am weary. And I found myself wanting to write yet again about tension. Particularly the dichotomy of Christmas. Here we are on the eve of Thanksgiving, the very precipice of all things merry and bright just around the corner. I have thoughts, as I know all of you do, about some of our sweet and grieving families in our very midst. The unfairness of it all. I have been thinking of writing about the innate...
read moreOn That We Can Rest
He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. Matthew 8:26 (NIV) Writing in front of a large window, watching stormy skies and swaying trees, I cannot help but think of this passage. Both my Bible study and Creekside are studying the Sermon on the Mount this fall. Matthew 8 happens after and details the signs and wonders that Jesus performs. In this passage, Jesus was getting away from the crowds on a boat caught in a storm. In His humanity, He is...
read more