a planted life | learning to love
Me and my momma My mom tells great stories. She always has. On a recent visit I asked her to retell the versions of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jack and the Beanstalk and the Three Little Pigs she told us as kids. She said she couldn’t because, just like her biscuit or buttermilk pancake... Continue Reading →
This morning I stood in my kitchen trying to force myself to think on what it means that Christ is risen when I'm angry with my son. I stood there waiting for the french press coffee to sit a minute before stirring, thinking, "Christ has risen. It's Easter, Sheila. That's what your entire faith rests... Continue Reading →
Photo by kira schwarz on Pexels.com Fear can strangle you. Lies can put you in real danger. Truth can be a hurricane sweeping through and flattening everything you've worked to build. And you can be so overcome with the shadow of death that you stop bagging your tomatoes in the produce section and grind your... Continue Reading →
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Every year we resolve to do better. To loose weight. To exercise more. To use less screens and get outside more. And I love this time of year. I love the idea of fresh starts and clean slates, as though magically when the clock strikes 12 on New Year's Eve,... Continue Reading →
Photo by Serkan Bayraktar on Pexels.com Eugene Peterson's A Long Obedience In The Same Direction, is a favorite of mine. The title has served as sort of mantra for me over the years. But today, thinking and talking to God as I do my errands, it hit me that a better motto for my life... Continue Reading →
A couple weeks ago, while listening to Wendell Berry, I decided to stop waiting for the ideal situation and start planting a garden. I’ve realized something about myself since that day. I like to do simple things. Tasks that require hands on practice. And not much research or technical skill. Gardening seems like it should... Continue Reading →
Photo by Adil on Pexels.com I took a long walk with my German Shephard, Lukas, this evening. The sun is setting earlier. The sky glows with shades of orange and pink and the world seems to cover itself with a honey-kissed filter. I'm drawn out of the house easily on these fall evenings in the... Continue Reading →
Photo by Tim Douglas on Pexels.com I listened to Ashley Hales podcast, Finding Holy, the other day. Tish Warren Harrison, the guest, shared her desire to help the Church find a way, "...between capitulation and combativeness," in relating to those who see the world differently than they do. I'm always drawn to discussions about how... Continue Reading →
I'm pretty sure I'm one of the most forgetful people on the planet. I joke that I think I have early dementia, but it might not be a joke. I forget the names of people I've known for a long time. I forget what I was doing when I walk into a room, and have... Continue Reading →
There's a handmade wooden sign in the hallway leading to my bedroom with these words in black: " And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:20 I walk by that sign daily and don't give it a thought, but the other day I stopped and read it over and over. I considered whether... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Faithfulness 