We visited friends this weekend and drove through some historical old cemeteries in Southeast Ohio.  We guessed at some of the markings as the engraved words on many of the tombstones disintegrated into the stones.MotherSonDates long forgotten.A few last words:My best friendLoved us allA favorite Bible verseWe discussed that night what we would want as an epitaph. Yes we got a little silly, giggling about the famous, funny one: I told you that I was sick!Image via WikipediaJune 14 is the birth date of Harriet Beecher Stowe. I read her tombstone reads: Tears are often the telescope by which men see far into heaven. She left us another type of legacy in her book Uncle Tom’s Cabin, often call the match that lit the American Civil War and ended slavery in the U.S.  Her words brought national attention to the evils of slavery.One story tells of when she met Abraham Lincoln he supposedly said, “So you are the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war!”Interesting facts … [Read more...]

Where is your home?My experiences lately keep bringing my thoughts back to the concept of home.My husband and I talked about “home” several years ago when a good friend, close to our age, died. Where did we want to be buried? We no longer had roots to our hometowns.  We lived in this small village for thirty years now. Though we landed on this geographical place on earth for quite a long time in our adult journey, is this our real home?When I watched this morning the devastation of homes by tornadoes in the Midwest. I then remembered the huge destruction of homes in Japan from their tragedies. Suddenly people were homeless. Their physical, temporary structures they called “home” disappeared. Home – where is our real home?I sat and held the hands of my friend as she died last week. I watched her body fade away and her spirit rise to heaven. She is truly home today.  She is no longer in a place that is temporary. No longer homeless.The Gospel this past Sunday was one of my favorites and … [Read more...]

April 29th is Arbor Day – a celebration that encourages appreciations and the ongoing care of trees. Founded by J. Sterling Morton in 1872, it's celebrated on the last Friday in April.   I love looking at trees. Currently in Ohio they are bursting with spring green colors. Even their trunks have personality - with ridges and grooves shouting out their individuality. I love their silhouettes in winter, gently holding empty bird nests as symbols of hope and new life to come. See my post on this here:  Trees are symbolic of so much of our spirituality:  Being deeply rooted in God.  Anchored in His love, we sway in the winds of change and storms of life. One of my current verses I am memorizing this year is:Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. Ephesians 3:17 (New Living Translation)God must really love trees – the world is full of them and so is the Bible from the garden of Eden to the Cross where … [Read more...]

For the past year as we travel south on State Route 49 from my little town in northwest Ohio, we have been fascinated to watch a massive construction project. Horizon Wind Energy are in the midst of a $1 billion plan to build hundreds of wind turbines in Paulding and Van Wert counties.New roads have been built and tons of dirt moved. The site involves more than 5700 acres on both sides of the state highway.  The turbines will be either a 256-foot tower for a total height to the top of the blades of 398 feet, or a 328-foot tower for a total height of 476 feet. Each nacelle or the structure at the top of the turbine, weighs 85 tons. This project has been going on for years – the forming of the idea, researching the best sites, holding public meetings, arranging financing and that was before any dirt was moved.When we drove past the site last week we could tell foundations had been laid and a few of the central towers were being raised. We passes trucks delivering enormous white poles and … [Read more...]

I wrote a post last Thursday about the phrase I heard “Fun stories happen when you make choices you wouldn’t normally make.”  It reminded me of this story which is the quote of the week.I used to think of God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there, sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I didn't really know Him.But later on, when I met Jesus, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Jesus was in the back helping me pedal.I didn't know just when it was He suggested we change, but life has not been the same since I took the back-seat to Jesus, my Lord. He makes life exciting. When I had control, I thought I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points.But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places … [Read more...]

I almost missed God’s invitation last week. I am a planner. Not only do I set quarterly goals, but have five year and ten year dreams written down. I focus on doing. I am a “three” on the Enneagram – yes, I am driven by accomplishment. I thrill at checking off items on my endless to-do list.So I felt very threatened last week when listening to NPR radio story. I have learned when words or phrases echo in my soul and resonate in my heart to pay attention. God is inviting me to ponder something. So I listen carefully last week. I was not sure why the words resounded deep within me but I certainly knew they were not what I normally practiced.The NPR story was about a man names Todd Bieber who went for a walk after a winter storm in New York last December. Much to his surprise, he looked down and found a canister of film.He almost threw it back into the snow when he remembered something a friend once said to him. This is the line that reverberated in my spirit.“Fun stories happen when you … [Read more...]

Where are you?Where are you?When Adam and Eve hid after eating from the tree, God walked in the garden and gently called, “Where are you?” Genesis 3: 9Of course, God knew where they were hiding. He already knew what happened. He knew their sin. He knew just how they were feeling. He knew.Yet He called to them.He came to them.He sought them in the garden.Where are you?This question haunts my morning devotions. I hear God asking me the same thing.Where are you?With a deep sigh, I try to answer the question.  The process centers my thoughts to the present moment and helps me identify what I am feeling.Where are you?Sometimes I am alone and lonely.Sometime I am alone and at peace.Sometimes I am at a place where I feel safe.Sometimes I feel scared, hovering in the corner of an empty room.Sometimes no matter how hard I try or cry, I can’t find you, Lord.But You come searching for me, just like you did in the Eden’s garden.“Where are you?” God asks.I am here, Lord. Thank you for finding me. … [Read more...]

 March Madness – the crazy time of year when basketball tournaments dominate many conversations. “What is your bracket?” become the enthusiastic question many spend hours pouring over.I am NOT a basketball fan – it probably one of my least favorite sports. Yet last weekend as March Madness progressed, I asked my husband about certain games, watched the closing minutes of a few, and quietly cheered when I heard two underdogs made it to the final four. Many of the top teams (including my favorite Ohio State) toppled out unpredictably out of first place.These players play every game like it may be the last one they are ever in. Players who may never see any action, cheer with their entire being and know they are as part of the team as the star player. As the excitement grew, the interest in basketball became infectious. Many of us try to guess who will be number one when March Madness is finally over.Makes you wonder how our spiritual lives would be like if March Madness become a … [Read more...]