Merry Christmas
May the joy of new birth and the hope of salvation encourage your hearts and minds this Christmas. With love and prayers for peace, Renée Small Things: God’s Work in Us
Read MoreA Time is Coming
One week ’til Christmas. Are we excited, like children, filled with anticipation? Or panicking about all that is still undone? As we get older, a week is a smaller and smaller proportion of our lives. Our sense of time changes- not just how we use it, but also how we understand ourselves in the context of the whole. Where do
Read Morea thankless job
Eeyore’s classic response came to mind. I was surprised by the grateful “Thank you!” It was my turn to do the dishes, since my spouse had cooked dinner. Why thank someone for doing their job? But it was nice to be noticed, and the gratitude made cleanup easier. There is so much work to be
Read Moreunlearning our understanding
Do you see what I see? Unlikely. Scientists, prophets, and artists might all agree. What we believe shapes what we observe. We see what we expect. So how can we prepare our eyes to recognize a new reality? I’ve been taking to heart the Advent encouragement to open my eyes, to see differently. (If you missed Kevin’s
Read MoreOur Hands
Prepare. A turkey sandwich with Lawry’s seasoned salt, cranberry relish, and lots of lettuce for school lunch. Toast up a remaining bagel with layered lox. What is my plan for the leftover pie dough? So many possibilities as we recover from one holiday to anticipate the next. All holidays require preparation. Hm. That doesn’t sound very
Read Moredown in the dust, up in the tree
I’m not the type to greet newcomers at church. I like to roll in barely on time, slide into my regular seat to support the singers when they start, and be the first to scoot out the door after the final song. The grandma juggling the toddler, squirmy six year old, and teenagers with their
Read MoreEarning Our Reputation
I am a bit of a perfectionist. Well, perhaps that’s not possible. But I try to keep my perfectionist tendencies in check. And I am often aware of how imperfectly I manage this. :). Perfectionists aren’t easy to live with, or work for. We are hard on ourselves and others. The term has fallen out of style, probably because
Read MoreMission Calling
“What keeps you up at night?” Besides sick kids, night sweats, indigestion, or general anxiety. Daniel Harris was talking about something else. Identifying your passion, your calling. Daniel stood out among the many brilliant speakers at the Chicago Christian Community Development Assoc. Conference; we strained to understand his words as the sole spokesperson with visible disabilities. But his
Read MoreA Small Something
I’m looking for light. Searching the sky, seeking the scriptures, opening my eyes. This morning I caught some of the sunrise, with the flag at half mast. I raise the blinds, supplement with vitamin D, go for a walk. Take advantage of every opportunity because these are evil times. Ephesians 5:16 (CEB) I feel the weight of the darkness, the chaos
Read MoreMemory
Remember. Fun times, happy occasions, the details of those we love. We are called to remember. Memory- for me, for most modern Americans- is an individual concept. Experiences in which we participated. We make memories, document and edit them in our photos, featuring our self(ies) for future reference. We worry about loss of memory. The biblical
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