Life with God
Last night Brett and I sat in our backyard watching with great concern as a baby sparrow flailed its tiny wings and flitted across the grass. One of its wings seemed underdeveloped and the little birdie could not get airborne. However, it was not lacking confidence as it circled our yard, pecking here and there,... Continue Reading →
Margaret loved this verse from Isaiah 45, "I will go before you and make the rugged places plain. I will break in pieces the doors of brass and cut asunder the doors of iron. And I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches in secret places that you may know that I... Continue Reading →
My neighbor, Mary, a longtime nurse, commented, “I am not very religious, but I have witnessed the power of prayer. I don’t know how it works, but when people pray, I have seen healing.” I believe in the power of prayer. Prayer to a God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all love. This God is... Continue Reading →
The year was 1964. My mother sat in the waiting room outside intensive care, a coast away from the rest of the family. She did not know whether her 21 year old son, in critical condition, would survive the head injury sustained in a car accident. Hours stretched into days as an untenable future loomed. ... Continue Reading →
First a caveat -- Biblically speaking, I should not be writing about volunteer work . Such deeds should be done in secret, keeping your right hand in the dark as to what your left hand is up to. But the truth is -- I am quite selfish. In the toddler room at South Park Church,... Continue Reading →
Brett and I are sitting at the gate in the Albany airport - a full hour before the flight boards. Plenty of time for my mind to conjure up all that can go dreadfully wrong in this short flight to Chicago. I hate short flights. And I especially hate small planes which gyrate with the... Continue Reading →
The banker slid the document across his desk and handed me a pen. "Sign and date on this line." I took the pen and signed my first name, Barclay. Then I began with the first syllable of my last name, Mar. Quite unexpectedly, my mind veered from the signature line to imagining the banker's impatient... Continue Reading →
When I was a teacher, the first week of August brought heart pounding anxiety. I envisioned new initiatives and curriculum, new kids and colleagues, meetings that would entail post-it notes and sharing-out. My anxiety had a voice -- no matter how many classes you take, or books you read, or years under your belt, your... Continue Reading →
August 10, 1986. The sun had broken through the clouds and was shining brightly against a deep blue backdrop. Our wedding ceremony and reception aboard the Free Spirit, cruising through Chicago's Burnham Harbor, had exceeded all my dreams. Brett had been dashing in his white tuxedo, our vows had been heartfelt, and there had been... Continue Reading →
