We greet your arrival with wonder, Loving God, that you would humble yourself and come to us as a child. This year has humbled us with grief, loneliness, exhaustion, and anxiety. Shine your light in our darkness and illumine our path with your presence.
Read MoreWhen I was four years old, I received an amazing gift the week before Christmas – a baby sister. I was so excited to play with her and care for her. Yet my mom says about two weeks later, the novelty had worn off. Turns out a tiny baby doesn’t make much of a playmate.
Read MoreThis pandemic has awakened my senses. Perhaps it’s the slower pace of life. Perhaps it’s the extended time at home. Even the most ordinary moments seem stronger, brighter, and more lovely to me.
Read MoreChristmas is usually a season of great joy and light, but this year it may feel more like a season of great darkness and shadows. So many things can make this season hard–death, illness, job loss, financial difficulties, broken family relationships, chronic pain to name a few. 2020 has added even more—the coronavirus pandemic, election angst, systemic racism, and the list goes on! It’s no wonder you may be feeling sad, depressed, and overwhelmed at the thought of celebration.
Read MoreWhen our daughter was about two years old, she entered the “Mine!” phase, grabbing toys and art supplies away from other children at daycare. In addition to correcting her, we read to her Todd Parr’s The Peace Book, a brightly illustrated children’s book with lovely thoughts about peace: “Peace is saying you’re sorry when you hurt someone. Peace is helping your neighbor. Peace is thinking about someone you love.”
Read MoreAs we munch on Thanksgiving leftovers, we turn our attention to Advent, which means “arrival.” During Advent, we prepare for the first coming of Jesus as a baby and look forward to his return in glory. We live in the between-time, the place of tension, and we do so as people of hope.
Read MoreIn school, I despised group projects. As a type-A personality, I always felt the pressure to take charge, and often, to do all of the work. I saw a meme the other day that read: “When I die, I want all of the people who did group projects with me to lower me into my grave so they can let me down one last time.”
Read MoreDo not let this picture of clear blue skies and glassy water on Ogle Lake fool you. We had seen potential rain in the forecast, even had drops on our windshield driving to Brown County, but we started off on a hike with two dogs and a preschooler and left our rain gear in the car.
Read MoreIf you want to experience carefree joy, spend a few moments watching children or dogs play in the leaves this time of year.
Read MoreJesus was political. When he ate with tax collectors, sinners, and “unclean” types, he rebelled against the religious ethics of the day. When he reached out to people who were poor and marginalized, he broke cultural norms. His nonviolent resistance in the face of death challenged the powers-that-be of the Roman Empire. Jesus was, by his very nature, political.
Read MoreTuesday night was the fall equinox, the moment when the light and dark are equal. I had the privilege of praying at the annual Homeless Memorial Vigil hosted by the Shalom Community Center. We gathered around the courthouse with masks on our faces and candles in our hands as Sylvia McNair sang “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.
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