Buttercups in Bloom

Our faith tells of a time in which God protected God's people in a journey that began in a rush, a journey that had frightful challenges and communal hardships.  It was a journey in which they must have felt fear as they left behind all that they had known.  Their hearts must have been pounding as they turned to walk out of the homes for their last time.  Their souls must have been shaking as they crossed the water bed that led to dry land.  They must have wondered if their lives would ever return to what they had known before. In the exodus, in the wandering, they no longer had the security of the walls of the temple.  Their rituals disturbed. The Holy of Holy contained in their stories, in the development of a new community.  The indwelling of God's presence making its home within the depths of their being.  In the walking, they had to carry the holiness of God with them, pitching the tent of the Holy One wide wherever they landed.   In the...

I..... Took my favorite drive Lingered drinking coffee with a sweet friend in a beautiful place. Stood at an overlook to fill my soul Caught up with colleagues around the fireplace. I wasn't concerned that I had left my charger at home and the charge on my phone was fading. I fell asleep in the wee hours of the morning. Something was brewing...... Others..... Readied their children for school Hurried off to work Moments of innocence flowed as children played outside. Dinner was eaten in the car on their way to their child's after-school activities. Homework was completed Nighttime routines took place Children were snuggled into their beds. Sleep came in the late hours of the day. Something was coming...... In the thin line of time for which darkness lingers and the morning has not yet come, that which had been brewing gathered full strength. That which was coming was on top of us without warning.   The violence of a tornado was upon us. Within minutes the force of the tornado ...

On Sunday night a blanket of ice encased us in a slippery, beautiful winter fairyland.  It gave us the excuse to wrap ourselves in our warm blankets, watch a movie, and delay the errands that we had planned on accomplishing.  Monday the blanket of ice was accompanied by a few flakes of snow, creating the perfect playground for southerners to dawn their winter gear, grab their sleds, aand take the perfect shot to post on social media.  Tuesday brought an expected day off for both myself and Luke, giving us the time to pack Emma's bedroom and prepare her stuff to be moved into her new apartment in the coming weeks.  Late yesterday afternoon large beautiful flakes of snow began to blanket our community.  It was the kind of snow that is memorizing to watch, one that covers you in peace and stillness if only for a moment.  In the midst of the beautiful blanket of snow that has fallen, in the peace and stillness has fallen upon us, among the adventures filled wit...

Again and Again Brokenness mended into healing Isolation beckoned into community Stories that release us from what holds us captive into freedom Stagnation pulled into engagement Contentment unfasted to move forward Again and again. Again and again, we make our way into the darkened holy space where silence fills the room.  The words rise forth, the songs linger in our being but in the midst of it all we are longing to feel the brush of the ashes being swept across our foreheads with purpose. We long to stand in the hush of the sanctuary knowing that God makes God's mark upon us and to stand in the silence as time feels suspended. The brush of the ashes helps us to glimpse the power of coming face to face with the Holy One.  We want to know that in the days to come we can once again experience the depth of death that leads us into a story of healing, beckons us into community, frees us, calls us into engagement with our whole being, and moves us forward into this life of redem...

    For as far back as I can remember I watched my math teachers. I watched how they interacted with students, how they explained the simple and yet complex movements of arithmetic, I wondered how they prepared for class and I listened as they called on my classmates. I wanted to teach, I wanted to be like them. My youth and young adulthood laid forth stepping stones that revealed a path that was much different than I had anticipated. Teaching was intriguing but what come pouring out was the joy of curriculum building. It wasn’t a curriculum based on mathematical equations that peaked my attention but a curriculum based on the steps of what it meant to be a disciple that filled my longing. From sitting underneath the stars in a small Tennessee county to years later lying on my back being enveloped by the streaks of the Milky Way Galaxy at Yellowstone National Park, there was a revelation that continued to extract a deeper sense of self and purpose. In those specific momen...

I have always been involved in a community of faith.  The connection through the gathered community has been a grounding force in my life for as long as I can remember.  From a kid who loved being part of my local youth, to becoming a college student who was instrumental in developing and leading a college small group bible study gathered life has been formative in who I am and who I believe God to be. Sandwiched in between those moments of the gathered community was the underlying message that the art and gift of prayer would lead us to a closer life to Jesus.  Prayer would calm all of our fears. Prayer would lead us to our future mate. Prayer would uncover the moments of insecurity and lead us to assurance. Prayer would heal our loved ones. Prayer would provide that beautiful family that we so desperately desired. Prayer would alleviate the anxiousness flowing deep within our minds and soul. Prayer would protect our children. Prayer would protect our children from harm....

Today was not what I expected. It has been filled with tears, frustration, and a deep sense of wondering if I have what it takes to keep moving forward. Most days I feel fairly confident in what I do and how I move through my task but in the past several months those moments of confidence have waned as I have stepped deeper into the world of technology.  COVID has required me to jump into Zoom and learn on the fly, to be connected to a larger faith community that shares news on official updates, provides tips for making our gathering times more meaningful with a sense of ease and allows you to ask questions when you can't find the right button or YouTube video to guide you through the chaos. In the past couple of months, I have dabbled in  Facebook Rooms, Microsoft meetings, developed more in Canva than I ever cared to do, and have researched what a new church management software that would move beyond just financial but help us as staff members and volunteers do ministry...