I have been pondering inkwells.  Why inkwells?  Inkwells are another image depicting my word of the year - well – and capturing my imagination and memory. A former pastor of ours always used fountain pens. He loved the feel of the pen as he wrote letters. Did you use them in school as a child? Yep, I am that old. I remember school desk with hole for ink carved in the upper left top corner. Now we didn’t use that well; we walked to the back of the classroom to fill our pens and it was messy if I recall and I was thrilled to move to ball point pens I think in third grace… but I digress. What is it about inkwells? Do they hold any lessons for us connected to my word of the year? A Little History of Inkwells Skip this section if you want. I had fun going down the rabbit hole of inkwell history. Sorry to digress again…LOL. An inkwell is a small pot or container used for holding ink in a place convenient for a writer to dip their quill or pen into.  Can’t you just … [Read more...]

I love to occasionally share my Four Somethings – things I have read, seen, experienced that made me pause and savor life. You know one practice I frequently promote is reflection – pausing, rereading, pondering where you are, where you have come from and where is God inviting you into next.  I share bits of wisdom in four categories. Gathering Four Somethings makes me aware of all the blessings often hidden under busyness, worries, and distractions. These “somethings” become markers in our spiritual journey. With so much pivoting and uncertainty in our lives right now, being grounded in a simple practice like this guides my way.  Here are some recent “somethings.” When I gather and compile these each time, I don’t start with a theme but amazingly one usually emerges.  I love that God is always teaching, leading, showing us the Way!  This month my four somethings seem to be about seeing with new eyes. Something Wise “To cultivate wisdom is to remember that we are not … [Read more...]

I reached my step goal one day last week and as I glanced at my Fitbit shooting up fireworks my little device exclaimed, “Well done!” I smiled. Even my Fitbit knows my word of the year!  “Well.” Since this word began to draw my attention and gnaw at my soul, I have been focused more on the use of “well” as in water well.  Good image but time to explore a new perspective. Here are a few rambling thoughts about well done. What is Well Done? Some insights from others about “well done.” “Better a little which is well done, than a great deal imperfectly.”  Plato “Well done is better than well said.” Benjamin Franklin. Well done reminds me of the Bible story found in Matthew 25 called the parable of the talents: “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so not I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’” Matthew 25:23  NLT Deep down I really do … [Read more...]

I believe strongly in the practice of reflection, pausing, rereading, pondering where you are, where you have come from and where is God inviting you into next. Time to hear your own deep yearnings and to realize God’s presence in every moment of your life. Four Somethings is the spiritual practice of remembering, reviewing, and savoring life’s lessons and sacred moments in our lives. So occasionally I share bits of wisdom in four categories. Gathering Four Somethings makes me aware of all the blessings often hidden under busyness, worries, and distractions. These “somethings” become markers in our spiritual journey. With so much pivoting and uncertainty in our lives right now, being grounded in a simple practice like this guides my way.  Here are my spring “somethings.”  Read ahead and you will see it could also be called the Muddy Edition.  I didn’t intentionally start to have this muddy theme but it slowly emerged and I realized mud has been teaching me … [Read more...]

“Well” is my word of the year and I wondered this month about how “well” is used throughout the Bible. So far this year I have been discovering “well” as a place of water. Picture an actual well with a bucket kind of visual. Depending on the version of the Bible, well can be read anywhere from 300-600 times. Most references refer to wells that provided water. Another use is the familiar verse, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Matthew 25: 21. Wells of course, were places to supply water but also served as a place of social gathering. A source of meeting someone in community and receiving strength and renewal. For example, Jacob met Rachel at a well where she came to water her father Laban’s flock of sheep (Gen 29:1-11). Moses, too, met his future wife, Zipporah, at a well when she came with her sisters to water their father’s flock (Exodus 2:15-22).  After Hagar fled from Sarai, an angel of the Lord appeared to her at a well where he revealed to her the name of her … [Read more...]

Silly me.  The email pinged into my mailbox. The anticipated package would arrive the next day. I giggled. “It’s coming,” I shouted to the empty house. Like a kid the day before Christmas, I nervously tremble with excitement.  What was this all about?  Ok, I will tell you, but please don’t roll your eyes at me (Ok you probably will). My pending package?  My 2025 calendar. I know, I know this is all so silly, but I do love planning, organizing, and getting that new calendar each year.  Usually, I find and order one in midsummer but this year, 18 months 24–25-year calendars from the Happy Planner Store became available to order in March.  By the third week in March, I could have my new calendar.  And 30% off, too. I know the 30% sale is part of my rationalization to order.  Part of me feels guilty getting so thrilled over something so trivial.  I almost didn’t write this as a blog post – worried what would YOU think?  Should I … [Read more...]

Sacred wells fascinate me. I heard about them on our trip to Ireland and Scotland – their stories and legends around them and their deep connection to God. My word of the year is – WELL – and the image of a well is a wonderful starting point to explore and listen for the sacred lessons from this word. I remembered sacred wells, so decided this would a great place to start to explore. Man, was that a rabbit trail!  Ha! A delightful imaginative and meaningful adventure into stories, usages, and meaning of sacred wells. What is a Sacred Well? Also called holy wells, sacred wells are often tied to a Christian saint, but many wells have been around long before Christianity arrived in Great Britain. The ancient Celts believed wells connected man to the “other world.”  A thin place where we could connect with God. Some wells also were thought to have healing powers. Water does help in healing and is essential for all life. Sacred wells remind me that God is the “living … [Read more...]