Dear Church,As a pastor, I mark my seasons through the rhythm of the church calendar. Summer is a slow time as folks retreat to cabins and lakes and backyards. A smattering of weddings dot the weekends as dander and dust line the extra seats on Sunday mornings. Fall fueled us to get back into our…
Dear Church,Right alongside lilacs, and lupines, time optimism blooms in the summertime. It is a remarkable deception silently agreed upon by all Minnesotans. We believe that in ten weeks we can remodel our homes, restructure family life, nurture a garden, camp at every state park, and attend all the outdoor events and ceremonies. June is…
Dear Church,In the beginning of my spiritual journey, I began my devotions. This observance included daily time to read my bible, write in a devotion journal, and pray. Devotions were constant conversation in my youth group, at the family dinner table, and in my developing mind.Experimenting with christian journals and one-year bible plans ruled my…
Every day, Chance takes me on a walk. Officially, I hold the leash, but he’s the one guiding me along the path. Chance, our Frenchie Pug, entered our lives as a puppy just one week before the COVID lockdown. He soothed our frazzled emotions while marking his territory on everything we owned.I try to take…
A writer traveled to Appalachia to interview and observe those who lived in deepest poverty. During his travels, he was befriended by a woman who would tell him stories about her life and memories in the mountains. He observed her to live in poverty and was curious about the kindness she shared with him. On…
All golden green and glorious, let us take a moment to consider the sugar maple that shades us during the afternoon heat. Looking up, you’ll notice that the leaves on the top of the tree are smaller and lighter in color than those on the bottom, which are a darker shade of green. As you…
Sitting around the dinner table one night, our family had an illuminating conversation about data influences and ChatGPT on our current life and work. While tearing through some tater tot hotdish, we argued about the benefits and unforeseen consequences of AI use. One of the consequences being that fear around technology unleashes armageddon or at…
Dear Church,As I look forward to the season change, I am reminded of my weariness to changes in life. I notice a deep urgency for the long summer sun to warm the ground and everything attached. While at the same time, within me grows resistance to my aging body, changing without my permission. How can I…
The first snow is magic. Absorbing sound and transfixing our senses, we forget the things that were common sense yesterday. We’re bewitched by slush and flurries and clouds. For me, this manifests into obsessive driveway clearing. Snow falls and I’m out with four different shovel types moving it off the driveway. Does our driveway need…
In my kindergarten classroom, alongside the alphabet cards was a line of rocket ships. Each rocket ship was assigned to a student and was blasting off towards the ceiling of success. Every day I would check on my rocket ship progress. Surprisingly, my rocket ship would move backward, or not at all. When I asked…
