Ordinary Time On the church liturgical calendar, we have entered the long season plainly called “Ordinary Time.” Another mundane name for this time of year is "the Season after Pentecost." Ho-Hum. Yawn.  Boring….You would think our collective churches could create a better name and even break this time up in more ingenious fashion. Why Is It Called Ordinary Time? Some scholars think the name Ordinary time derives from the word ordinal, meaning "numbered," since the Sundays of Ordinary Time, as in other seasons, are ordered numerically. Our Focus in Ordinary Time Ordinary Time extends from now until Advent, late November. From Advent to Pentecost, we celebrate what God has done to inaugurate the new creation through Christ. In the season after Pentecost, we celebrate what God does to empower us to live out the Gospel day to day and week to week in the context of our ordinary lives. In our churches in Ordinary Time, we hear stories about how Jesus lived out his mission on … [Read more...]

I slammed the brakes. Slowly down enough, I turned onto the side road to get another look. What a beautiful sight! The field on the south side of the road erupted in vibrant yellow mustard. Maybe God splashed some sunshine on earth in a new way. Or maybe he has a craving for butter  as he created an abundance of this shade all over our county. The pasture glowed in bright canary yellows. Interesting enough, this wasn't a preplanned, carefully cultivated field of flowers.  No, the field overflowed with weeds. 
Weeds are nature's graffiti. J.L.W. Brooks Since I was seeing so many pockets of this weed in these fields, undulating like seas of yellow, I did some research. Most websites referred to a plant called the cressleaf groundsel.  It has been spreading throughout the Midwest for the past 20 years, especially in no-till farming and in a wet spring. We certainly have had a cool wet spring in Ohio. Weeds – yes.  Beautiful – yes! As one grows older one should grow more … [Read more...]

Spiritual Spring Cleaning Have you started your spring cleaning yet? Warmer weather here in Ohio invites me to scrub, scour, and sort.  I love having the windows open for the fresh air, but then notice the smudges and spots from winter on the glass. I emptied cupboards, reorganized shelves, and even washed the outside windows. The silver tea service I inherited from my mother is buffed and polished. The house is beginning to shine. That is not all. I even have a dental appointment this week to get my teeth cleaned. Sparkling though and though, right? Yesterday I tackled the first batch of weeds in the flower gardens.  Looks like we have lost two of my rose bushes this year. But then again, that means some fun time shopping in the garden section where I am sure I will find more than just roses. Spiritual Spring Cleaning Inside the house work.  Outside the house work.  Then I felt God say to me quietly – how about inside your heart? What inside – inside of you – needs … [Read more...]

I'm an optimist. In spring my enthusiastic sunniness beams brighter than usual. Spring is my favorite time of year. Until it snows in April.  Yep, last weekend while we had only a dusting on the grass, one county about an hour east of my house accumulated 10 inches of heavy white winter. And just a second ago, my cell phone chirped a weather alert for below freezing temperatures tonight. If I remember right, Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow, so predicting quite strongly there would be an early spring.  So much for that rat being right. In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours. Mark Twain Spring where are you?  Yet I have hope. The rotation of the seasons shows me God's faithfulness and his oversight – spring will come, then summer, fall, winter, spring and so on. He is the creator, has the control, and also the authority over all things. Each day reminds me of this comforting cycle of rest and renewal – sun up, sun … [Read more...]