I begin my day on a recliner in our office with a blue throw blanket my daughter, Lydia, bought me. Its tassels are slowly being gnawed off by our puppy, Ruby, who also chewed up not one but two blue pens while lying on it, so now there are a few indigo splotches here andContinue reading “Little Joys—Blankets”
Tag Archives: love
Experiencing the Transformative Power of the Lord and the Joy of Incarnational Community
I preached for the first time on Thursday, September 22, at The Well, a campus ministry on the campus at Ashland University. The subject of the sermon was on two parts of The Well’s mission statement: to “Encounter the Transformative Power of the Lord” and to “Experience the Joy of Incarnational Community.” Here is whatContinue reading “Experiencing the Transformative Power of the Lord and the Joy of Incarnational Community“
The Universal History of People Doing Whatever They Feel Like Doing
In those days there was no king in Israel. People did whatever they felt like doing. – Judges 17:6 I’m reading Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones right now. At the same time, I’ve been trudging chapter by chapter through the book of Judges in the Bible. The confluence of these two narrativesContinue reading “The Universal History of People Doing Whatever They Feel Like Doing”
Enter Through the Narrow Gate
“Enter through the narrow gate,” Jesus told his disciples. I’ve been thinking about this narrow gate for a long time, bewildered that God would make a small entrance into his kingdom on purpose to keep people out. Jesus says the only way to the Father is through the Son, that the Son is the Way,Continue reading “Enter Through the Narrow Gate”
Abide
I began reading The Bible Tells Me So by Peter Enns today, and in the midst of my own similar writing project on reading the Bible I feel as if I’ve found a kindred spirit. This comes early on in his narrative: “Sweating bullets to line up the Bible with our exhausting expectations, to make the BibleContinue reading “Abide”
Maybe you’re like me
A year or so ago a friend in a private Facebook group made up of mostly Midwestern, Christ-following protestant/evangelical/questioning white folks challenged the group’s membership to read books by or about people other than mostly Midwestern, Christ-following protestant/evangelical/questioning white folks. Just two years ago I realized how much I favored male authors over women afterContinue reading “Maybe you’re like me”
Maybe this happened because…
The other morning as I got ready for work, my thoughts turned as they often do these days to my mom and kidney cancer. Her latest scans show more growth in her lung’s lymph nodes, and she’s having to deal with insurance and ridiculously expensive drugs and decisions about next steps. Maybe this happened because…Continue reading “Maybe this happened because…”
Leave the kids. Get away.
Now. Go. Do it. Last weekend we left our kids with my cousin and her best friend and trekked south down I-71 to Hocking Hills for three days and two nights with close friends. On the way we stopped for breakfast and I ate all the things at Bob Evans. Sorry, Lodi residents, about theContinue reading “Leave the kids. Get away.”
Mountains and Valleys
This has been the longest week ever. I’m convinced that there is scientific evidence out there to support my observation. Monday, January 10? When was that? Wasn’t that three weeks ago? No. It was only four days ago. Until the researchers have had time to analyze the data, we’ll just take it as cold, hardContinue reading “Mountains and Valleys”
Advent Day 5: The Earth Is Filled
I try to find one thing of marvel every morning on my way to work. Once you start this habit it isn’t easy to break; the earth brims over with beauty, from the early crisp air frosting blades of grass to fallen leaves on water, even the man-made architecture mirrors the majesty of my surroundingsContinue reading “Advent Day 5: The Earth Is Filled”
Sarah Marie Wells 