“You should see it,” Mikey told his scout buddies. “Its handle is striped with different woods, and it’s hefty. And… it comes with a sheath to hang on your belt.” “Neat!” The guys said. “Wish I could get one. Is it a real Boy Scout knife?” One asked. “Yeah. It has the emblem right on …
“Suzanne, Come over here. I want to show you something,” my grandmother called out across the yard. She faced me in a clearing between two outbuildings with the laundry basket wedged on her hip. The clothes line where she hung dish towels drew a line in the air behind her. My grandparents lived out of …
We participated in an Ash Wednesday service last week unlike any other I’ve attended. There were no ashes, but the church’s choir sang parts with volume, clapping and swaying to the beat. The whole-person-worship worked me out of my comfortable rut. Then the preacher took the microphone and stood before his congregation. “Fasting without prayer …
We sat in a conference room with a dozen strangers. Every Saturday morning, this group of people met for prayer. My husband and I came to observe and see if we might fit with them. “Grab a copy of the prayer list,” the chaplain instructed. Someone picked up a paper and handed it to us. …
Lent 2023, Week 1: Entering the Wilderness Meditations Below you will find scripture readings followed by questions to ponder this week until next Tuesday’s blog. Some scriptures are provided. I also give my observations, but read them after you’ve come to your own conclusions. At the end I give an explanation why a forty day …
Lent Week One: Feb 22-27 Entering the Wilderness Read More »
I pulled a bowl of warmed chili from the microwave. The clock reminded me that I must leave in ten minutes for a volunteer job. I gulped down a spoonful, but the phone interrupted with a beep and triple vibrations stressing the message’s importance, Buzzzzz, Buzzzz, Buzzzz. These startle me once a month or so …
Panic jolts up my scalp. Where am I? I drove this a route several times before, from my university to Fort Hood to see my fiancé. I am somewhere near the halfway point based on time, but at this moment, I cannot find my bearings. Did I pass the turn, or does it still lay …
Various items lay on the bed next to an overnight bag. Among the items are a hair brush, a nightgown with the tag still attached, and a tiny outfit covered with puppies. Though this expectant mom packs for her second child, she needs to prepare for him as if he were her firstborn. Remembering what …
I stood on the playground squinting at the sky while shading my face like a salute. “Don’t stare at the sun,” my third grade teacher, Mrs. Rettig, warned. “Why not?” I asked. “It can blind you,” she said. Her reply startled me. I quickly dropped my head and squeezed my eyes shut. Under my eyelids, …
In every direction, a mountain range graces the Irish skyline. The ancient peaks are rounded and clothed with patchwork vests of tan grasses, green forests, and pink heather. Distinct borders set aside each odd shaped patch of color from its neighbor. These borders are built of stones cleared from fields and stacked vertically, or more …
I gather flotsam into a pile, and hurry to drop them in my bedroom. Back to the kitchen, a stray glass waits for the dishwasher and the floor begs another sweep. The clock taps its fingers, ticking down the minutes until company arrives. The doorbell rings. “Come in, come in. So good to see you. …
Bright lights, white lights assault her, not the muted pink and gentle darkness to which she was accustomed. Stark light and emptiness surround her, where always water buoyed and rocked her on all sides. Instinctively she wails, clenching her hands to her chest and pulling her knees up tightly. She gulps a huge breath and …