I fight the urge to hyperventilate as we get close to the trailhead. I wish the cause was adrenaline and excitement, but that’s not the problem. Self-recrimination runs wild. How could I do this to myself again? What was I thinking when I said another yes to this kind of trip? Did I forget that…
Our back deck has white vinyl railing around the perimeter. It’s a nice contrast to the brown decking, but as you may already know, vinyl easily attracts dirt. My spring-cleaning chores include wiping away grime that collects on the railing over the winter months. The first year I attempted this task, I pulled out anti-bacterial…
“How’s everyone’s quiet time?” my new small group leader asked the group, looking around. I was bewildered. It was my first time visiting a “small group.” Until recently, I hadn’t known there were such things. I wasn’t sure, either, what belonging to a “small group” through my newfound church would look like. And now, fifteen…
My parents share dinner at a restaurant on the water in Florida, where, on a whim, they decide to purchase a small sailboat. They don’t have any idea how to operate it, but that doesn’t stop them from setting sail toward the Caribbean. Soon, our tiny family embarks on a maritime adventure, complete with breathtaking…
“The body of Christ, broken for you.” The woman’s voice echoed in my ears weeks after I stood before her and tore a small piece of bread from the loaf. I’ve taken communion more times than I can possibly count, but this instance is cemented in my memory as the first time a person of…
I’m a questioner. I knew this without putting a label to it, but Gretchen Rubin, in her book The Four Tendencies, labeled it for me and offered me confirmation. Questioners are happy to do anything for anyone, but first we must be assured it makes sense. We have to know we’re making the effort for…