13 Hours of Rain

  Creek Side Walk  For the last day of July, I post a thankfulness list in ode to the Summer of 2013 thus far: Moderate Temperatures : The summer is cooler than usual (or from what I have experienced thus far in prairie southwest). And I'm lovin' it. My system doesn't do well with extreme temperatures. Neither does our budget. Because 30+ temperatures mean more cooling costs, more watering-the-lawn costs, and more battling those wretched wasps cost. This year, these costs are much, much lower in spite of the fact we still dealt with two wasp nests this year (as opposed to four last year). Swimming Lessons : Our kids spent the first two weeks of July in the pool learning various skills. It forced me to "unplug" from my usual routine and enjoy cheering for my kids (plus my husband received some much needed quiet time from people). Thankfully both kids obtained their badges! Spontaneous Guests : We entertained three groups of spontaneous guests...

Dear Daughter and Son, One day, a crisis of faith may rock your world to the very depths of your foundation. As you teeter and tumble, grasping wildly for something  – anything!  – to rescue you from the plummet to the depths, you frantically scream the question, "GOD, are you REALLY there????" And silence reverberates around you in the chilly chasm of doubt. At this point in time, I've never been there, truly. My life has been fairly predictable. My relationships (the ones that matter, that is) are loyal. My loved ones surround me and very few close friends or relatives have been lost to sudden death, disease, or disaster. My health has been relatively "normal". My faith has not been tested with persecution or betrayal. Oh, I've had doubts. And I still do. But not the deep doubts that have the potential to shake the very core of my values. No so for your Daddy. A seventeen month encounter with the dark underbelly of the institutio...

I am encouraged on how God equips us for ministry, even in subtle, somewhat insignificant ways. This last weekend was just that. It all started with God placing me in the right mental space. Kids, you will probably figure out soon enough that I struggle with pure spontaneity. At times I appear spontaneous to others, especially when I burst into a room and suddenly inform your Daddy, "Let's go for ice cream now and then we'll do this and that!" While the idea seems fresh with excitement, it has been thought over for at least a few minutes to assess the feasibility of the adventure. Hardly ever do I act before I think. Anyway, your Nana and Nani had planned to visit last weekend. But due to circumstances beyond their control, the encounter was postponed to a more opportune time. Regardless, I was still in hospitality mode. Sunday morning arrived and I mused to myself, "Wouldn't it be nice to extend a lunch invite to some of my friends? Oh, I have nothing p...

About Leadership ... How do you encourage a group of people to embrace a vision in a particular area of ministry? How do you motivate people to get on the same page, so to speak? How does prayer factor in and when does God wait for us to get together and get organized? As a spiritual leader, how much input should one elicit from the people who follow? When should one go ahead and make the executive decision on behalf of others? In the meanwhile, how does a leader encourage others to truly care? Or is that just the Holy Spirit's job? About the Poor ... How do we as North American's oppress the poor? What unjust economic structures are we endorsing just by being consumers? Is it right to purchase cheap department store clothing in spite of the fact it was probably made in a factory with poor safety standards? Is it moral to use credit cards, even if you never carry a balance and just reap the rewards? (After all, credit cards are designed to enslave people in the ...

Summer days are here, accompanied with rolling on sunscreen for swimming lessons; consuming a larger quantity of ice cream and hotdogs; and lounging on our deck under a lush canopy of willow leaves. It is a welcomed break from the structure of the school year. During the months of July and August, I essentially unplug from my social circle and immerse myself with family. This is the time I spend minutes, days, and weeks with my husband, my two children, and my many relatives. Rest assured that I have not dropped off the face of the earth. I’m still here, sitting in the shade from the hot prairie sun. Sometimes this season is a time of reflection on what was, what could have been, what should have happened in the past ten months of my husband’s teaching profession. And I start planning the Fall. But before, I jump ahead, I pause to look back to six months ago, when I composed a list of flexible aims for Year 2013. It is time for some formative assessment. 1. Post on the 13th and...