How many simple, wonderful things have you already enjoyed in your day today? Maybe you woke up warm, snuggled under layers of soft blankets. Perhaps you enjoyed a cup or two of freshly brewed coffee, probably thankful for the aroma long before you took that first sip. You may have shared a few sweet quiet […]
Read more "Simple Things"Have you ever had a time in your life when you just couldn’t see a clear path forward? Maybe there was a big change going on and you were trying to adjust, but having trouble picturing your next steps. Or something unexpected might have happened—a job transfer, a sudden illness, a change in priorities—and you […]
Read more "Finding Our Way"When you were little and you needed comforting, what was it—or who was it—that did the trick? For me, the person who could always help me feel okay again was my Great-Grandma Roos, a playmate 77 years older than I was and an endless source of love, fun, and tenderness. If I woke in the […]
Read more "The Comfort of God"Have you ever been around truly exuberant people? They just seem to overflow with enthusiasm. They’re continually coming up with new ideas and plans, and they are super excited about trying to get you to come along on their adventure. Chances are that they love-love-love everything—people, food, music, travel, nature—and they always seem ready to […]
Read more "Really, Peter, Calm Down!"Hopefully, as you sit here this morning in this beautiful place, among Friends, you feel a sense of ease and peace. For these few moments we share together, there’s nothing else to do, nowhere else we need to go. We can just settle into the quiet, listen for God together, and feel filled up by […]
Read more "Paths to Peace"Well, I’ve had show tunes on my mind this week. It started on the fourth of July, as I remembered my experience in high school when I was the second violin in the pit orchestra of the musical 1776. The year was 1996, and I was a freshman; our country was celebrating the bicentennial. The […]
Read more "Day by Day"So with the arrival of July, we’re moving into high summer. Things just naturally seem to slow down a little when the full heat and humidity of the season arrive. We may still enjoy outdoor activities, but we’re probably strategic about it, pulling weeds in the cool of the morning or taking a walk after […]
Read more "R-e-l-a-x"Just generally we humans don’t like surprises much, though there are few exceptions, like surprise birthday parties or romantic marriage proposals. But when you’re out playing tennis on a beautiful Thursday evening, laughing with your grandkids, the kind of surprise you don’t want happens when you go high to return a ball, and go over […]
Read more "Finding the Path"Do you know that moment in the evening-time, when you finally sit down to rest—maybe on the deck– after picking up sticks and pulling weeds and mowing the grass and fixing supper and cleaning up the dishes? It’s that moment when everything’s done that’s going to get done today. A time when you can relax […]
Read more "Being Content"Have you ever heard of the old Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times”? Well, curse or not, we are certainly living in interesting times. Tensions are high. Tempers are short. Our trust—in our leaders, our media, our businesses, our neighbors—feels shakier than ever. Constantly breaking news, as well as tragedies, world crises, natural […]
Read more "Who Are We, Really?"