Life – a cup at a time
Ever find yourself doing something stupid, but pride — or sheer stubbornness — makes you keep going despite your better judgement? Yeah, me, too. Those kinds of mistakes can be deadly. But they can also turn into valuable lessons, and be the source of unexpected Grace. I’ll explain what I mean with the tales of …
We need hugs, and as we break out of our cocoons of social distancing, we need them – and fear them – more than ever. I’m a tactile person by nature. From the time I was a toddler, I had my hands on – and in – everything! But I grew up in a family …
I love the adventure of walking, but getting my human mom to go can be tough some days. (My human dad refuses, but he plays and feeds me people food, so I let him be.) First of all, Mom doesn’t like getting up in the mornings. So unless I really have to pee, I let …
We all face volcanoes in life, whether we realize it or not. The recent eruption of White Island/Whakaari in New Zealand has had me pondering this thought. Maybe it’s because I was there for Mt. St. Helens in 1980. For anyone who was in the Pacific Northwest, they can tell you exactly what they were …
Something shattered into pieces, Someone crushed them under foot. Somewhere the scattered pieces lay, Somewhen, long overlooked. Somewhen, an artist found them, Somehow he scooped them up; Someone loved with tender hands Something I had given up. Something forms beneath the artist’s touch: Mosaic full of grace. Someone else would never think to make Beauty …
Weeding is one of those chores that everyone loves to complain about, but the process is both necessary and fulfilling, whether working in a garden or one’s life. This year we’re dealing with one and a half acres that have been neglected for at least seven years (according to the neighbor). The back acre is …
Walking with the dog this morning, we rounded the corner of our yard to head in, and there was a cottontail bunny sitting in the road, about 150 feet away. The street was quiet, so I clicked off the leash and told Missy in a quiet voice, “Go get the bunny.” She looked around, not …
In What is Grace? Part 1, I discussed grace as being a facet or realization of divine, unconditional love. By that definition, grace is not limited to Christianity, but is evident in many traditions around the world. The next question becomes: What is our response? How do we live a life grounded in grace? Grace …
Early morning is my favorite time of day in the desert. You can smell the sagebrush and rabbitbrush, the tiniest hint of moisture, and absorb the quiet and stillness. We live in a house with an established yard and big shade trees, but it’s still in the desert. I love to look out the window …
Whether you call it Coincidence, Chance, Karma, Fate or God at work, things happen. I don’t always see it, or understand it, or even like it, but when certain things happen, I find myself saying, “OK, God, you know what you’re doing.” Let me share an example of what I mean. My husband recently had major surgery …