living in light of eternity
We came to England for two reasons: first, that my husband could log long hours of research for his PhD, but second, that when he had finished (I use the word loosely), we could rest and recharge. Fourteen years we've been church planting, but we'll return home to a new season. This mini-sabbatical is our... Continue Reading →
We stayed in a tall narrow home on a steep street of tall narrow homes in a neighborhood called West Hampstead, north and west of London’s downtown. People walk there, carrying packages from the bakery or the butcher, waiting at corners to hop on red double-decker buses, holding umbrellas against the rain. Every house has... Continue Reading →
It occurred to me this morning as I boiled water to heat up our bath tub that this is really quite nice for a camping trip. I mean, we have comfy beds, wifi, even skylights in the bedroom for a breeze, so really, what do I have to complain about? We are staying in an... Continue Reading →
Maybe you have nine nieces and nephews, like me, or maybe it's 15 grandchildren. Maybe you exchange gifts with all of your best friends’ families, and have been surprised by how quickly they went from one kid apiece to three to four… Maybe you’re buying gifts for out-of-town cousins you haven’t seen in years, and... Continue Reading →
Here's what I got: recipes that are good enough to make a mediocre cook look good. Y'all, I am not Julia Child. I am not my friend Lauren, who can whip up 5 star meals with an almost bare cupboard. Nope, I'm the one who thinks the free samples at Costco constitute a great meal... Continue Reading →
So, people. I have just realized that our summer will be crashing to a close in exactly six weeks. Six. Weeks. That is 42 blessed, lazy days until we are right back to the Pledge of Allegiance and algebra. Sigh. I am trying my best to stay 29 forever, but the calendar conspires. Still, there... Continue Reading →
Yesterday was the last day of 6th grade for my young one. For seven years now I have been his primary teacher, a role I was not expecting to play but have been privileged to enjoy. This passage of another school year has me thinking about education in all its varieties—homeschool, public school, college, Life.... Continue Reading →
Last week we had another Marley and Me moment, saying goodbye quite unexpectedly to our sweet old collie, Scout. I say “another” moment, because it’s the third time in eight years we’ve gone through this particular grind of grief; less, surely, than a two-legged loss, but a knock-the-wind-out-of-you pain all the same. Our dogs, one... Continue Reading →
Dear Lord, I have so much to do today. And each of the seemingly simple tasks opens up like an onion with a million layers. You know how I'm prone to panic, Lord, at the busyness, at the clock. So "teach me to number my days aright, that I may gain a heart of wisdom."... Continue Reading →
So our family is nearing the end of a book that we loved, and it got me thinking of all the great devotional times we've had together over the years. We really believe that our most important job as parents is not teaching the kids to tow the line, but teaching them to enjoy God.... Continue Reading →
Catherine's Letters 