Blogs and Articles
To encourage worshipful, generous-hearted living
For the most recent blog or to see articles by dates, look down the list on the right.
In this past week of devotions, writer Jan Richardson1 shared a beautiful idea from the Celtic tradition: that in certain spots and at specific times, there are “thin places,” where the veil between worlds becomes permeable, and heaven and earth meet. I have a hunch that the veil between earth and heaven, time and eternity,…
Read More“Look ahead but don’t anticipate.” When we’re riding horses, that’s an important lesson to teach. You want the horse to look ahead for what’s coming next, but not to assume he or she knows what you’ll ask for next. One mistake a lot of riders make is practicing a succession of moves so many times…
Read MoreNow that enough rain has come to fill up our half-acre pond, more Canada Geese have joined the eleven that have waited here through the fall months of drought. The geese are wild, but those who have been with us the longest recognize my call before I throw out the scratch. They start venturing up…
Read More“The one who sings prays twice.” I’ve come to confirm that old adage. There’s something powerful about music that speaks to a deeper place in the soul than words alone can reach. Music brings joy to my heart! I grew up loving Western classical music and have returned to it in recent years. But I’ve…
Read MoreOne of the joys in life for me is learning from The Teaching Company (www.thegreatcourses.com). The folks at The Teaching Company provide scores of college-level courses in audio and video formats in a mind-expanding range of subjects, taught by professors from all over the world who have been awarded for their teaching style. My brother…
Read MoreWhat a beautiful gift some anonymous donor has made for the United Methodist “#GivingTuesday”! For the one day of December 2, every gift made online to The Advance at www.umcmission.org/give will be matched, up to $1 million. “The Advance” is a collective term for hundreds of grassroots United Methodist mission projects in the U.S. and…
Read MoreToday is my birthday: a watershed year. I have gone through several stages to get used to the thought, but now I’m beginning to embrace it. It has taken a while to acknowledge that television personalities and company executives are usually younger than my husband and me. Our “kids” not only became full adults long…
Read MoreMultitasking is something much of our North American work world takes for granted. I used to be proud of how much of it I could do, in my ministry and in the family. (What can I say? I’m an unrepentant “J” in Myers-Briggs language.) I even excelled in doing it mentally. I used to say,…
Read MoreBy now, those of us who attend worship somewhere most likely have noticed that ‘tis the season for financial commitment programs – what many church leaders call “stewardship campaigns.” It’s when we think about God’s overwhelming generosity of blessings in our lives, and respond by financially supporting God’s work right here on earth, primarily through…
Read MoreIf you love digging into serious theology, this book is for you! It is Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace, by Miroslav Volf (2005: Zondervan). Miroslav Volf is not lightweight: Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture. At the…
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