Advent, Week 1, Day 2 No, not a Droid thing. But a practical application for the theme of “waiting” this week. Know what I find most difficult about the holiday season? (People whining about it? Well, yes. Unless I’m the one whining. Then it’s ok). What bugs me most is how long it takes to run a simple errand. I try to simplify my life as much as possible in December. I shop online so I don’t have to run... Read more
A Waiting Hymn (tune: Greensleeves)Show us the way to Bethlehm, O Prophet you have spoken. You listened in the darkest night, God’s silence now is broken. Chorus Show us the way to Bethlehem, God’s chosen mother, Mary. With you we wait with joy to see the miracle you carry. Chorus Show us the way to Bethlehem, you Shepherds in your wonder. Your star, a sign that joy has come, and evil lies asunder. Chorus Show us the way... Read more
Advent 1–Bible Study and Questions for Reflection Week I Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. 2Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God. 3“Why do we... Read more
Dear Friends, For Advent this year, I’m writing a group study and daily devotional resource for use at Foothills Christian Church. If you’d like to engage in this journey with us, i’ll post the weekly materials here…For each week of advent, there will be a Bible Study component, 5 daily devotions, and a practical application. Attached is the introduction/prologue. I’d appreciate feedback along the way, and would love to hear stories if you use this in your communities of faith.... Read more
I’m not crazy, as it turns out. Well, i might be…but i was not crazy to take a 3-year-old on a 3-day road trip adventure by myself. She was so good. Unbelievably good. Practically shining her halo the whole dang time. Until the last hour and a half or so. Then it was meltdown city. And i was driving in the desert, in the dark, and couldn’t do much about it. There might be something spiritual and beautiful about driving... Read more
Every year, in what i call “stewardship season,” i revisit Brueggeman’s “The Liturgy of Abundance.” I have come to love this season in the life of the church, which is ironic, because it used to scare me to death. Appropriate that it came around Halloween, really. Like many clergy, I left seminary feeling pretty good about the 3 P’s–preaching, program and pastoral care–but utterly inept and ill-equipped for the administrative work of the church. Many things have changed that, including experience,... Read more
Some thoughts on finding/creating the perfect Halloween costume: First of all, nix that idea of “perfect.” Add to my growing list of What’s Wrong With America that notion of the perfectly executed holiday. I mean, i love to flip through Southern Living, Sunset, or the Pottery Barn catalogue as much as the next girl. But let’s remember they share IDEAS. By no means does your yard/house/menu/attire/person need to reflect the meticulously coordinated life on the page. Do NOT let yourself... Read more
An organized household, office, car, and bank account seem unattainable for people like me. People who not only have children and a full-time job, but also find right-brained, type-A sorts of tasks tantamount to learning Chinese…meaning, it could be done, but life is too short. However, I have learned time and again that being unorganized has its price. Much as I hate chores, errands, paper work and basically being a grown-up, letting these things go will ultimately amount to even MORE administrative unpleasantness…For... Read more
This is where tv and motherhood just evolved in a single scene, folks. You might have missed it because you were too busy laughing and saying "Oh, that is SO my life!" but what just happened here was huge. What just happened was, the charicatures of motherhood that have been pitted against each other since the 70s, just demolished a *^$&#@ stroller together, and bonded over it. In about 5 sitcom seconds, the world shifted. The funny girl of our youth just embodied what some of us have been screaming for years... it is hard enough being a mom without having to justify our choices to other women. Ultimately [because Ava hates the phrase "at the end of the day" just as much as I do] women have more power when they stick together. Ultimately, we all need help kicking that stroller's ass, and we all need some other women to just go get drinks with. Even if it is Kayla's passive aggressive mom. Read more
October is a big month at my house. Yesterday was baby’s birthday (not such a baby now!) and our 8 year wedding anniversary. Tomorrow is Harper’s birthday, mine is next week; many other extended family members have bdays this month, and then there’s that little thing called Halloween, and all the costumed, sugar-loaded revelry implied. It’s all had me thinking about invitations, the many types that we send and receive: snail mail, e-vite, or Facebook event; birthday, wedding, Halloween; formal, informal,... Read more
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