Leafy Autumn Prayers

Leafy Autumn Prayers

Trees on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan are busy transitioning from their full-spectrum-of-green cloaks to their rich red, orange, and gold autumn wardrobe. In response to this magnificent change, the conversation as we drive along the edge of Lake Superior and on US...
O Christ, Heal Us

O Christ, Heal Us

“You are the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God.” Eighteen of us, pilgrims on a Palestine of Jesus course, are on a bus headed to Caesarea Philippi,/Banias in northern Israel. Caearea Philippi, one of the three places of the springs of the Jordan River, is the site...
Cold Shower–Hallelujah, Alleluia!

Cold Shower–Hallelujah, Alleluia!

I stepped into our cozy, dorm-room shower this morning anticipating its usual, wonderful solar-hot water. By the time I was head-to-toe wet, it soaked into my brain: “This water is COLD!” Then I started my familiar rant: “Nothing is predictable here....
With the Eyes of the Heart

With the Eyes of the Heart

Lent almost always surprises me. I choose the book/s I’ll read and the Lenten calendar template I’ll use with the book. I have the forty days well-planned; I am in control. Then I am spun around and led in a different direction. I often describe my...
Valentine Prayers

Valentine Prayers

The pressure to send or not send Valentine’s Day cards looms heavy for some of us. As a terrible gift giver, I am not a fan of the romantic weight of the holiday. If someone doesn’t send me a card, does that mean they don’t love me? If I don’t...