After tomorrow, when we say "she was born in the 20s," we won't mean Gatsby and flappers any more. We're here, on the crest of a new decade, and who knows what cataclysms of history we're about to face? So much is unknown, so much is out of our hands, and yet "in your book... Continue Reading →
Commencement
They arrive in the mail and show up on Facebook-- photos of that little girl we used to know, all dressed up in cap and gown, or that toddler now wearing a tie. It is the season of completions, and new beginnings-- graduation. But it is a different kind of commencement at our house this... Continue Reading →
Life is Vapor, Week 11
"Most of the things we need to be most fully alive never come in busyness. They grow in rest." — Mark Buchanan "Sabbath observance invites us to stop. It invites us to rest. It asks us to notice that while we rest, the world continues without our help. It invites us to delight in the... Continue Reading →
Life is Vapor, Week 10
What can we do when we're lost in the dark? How can we confront the absurdities of life on a fallen planet? What does it mean to choose light? Last night we talked about this idea of choosing light, setting our hearts on things above, consciously turning away from darkness that could swallow us whole.... Continue Reading →
Life is Vapor, Week 9
So enjoyed our conversation about spiritual battle Sunday night! It went right along with this gem from Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening... Stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord. (Exodus 14:13) "These words contain God's command to the believer when he is reduced to great straits and brought into extraordinary difficulties. He cannot... Continue Reading →
Hitting the Reset Button With Your Kids In Time for Fall
Last week at our Life is Vapor study we talked about the priority of enjoying God as a family. Our own family was already thinking along the lines of starting fresh this fall to break bad habits and establish a new family vision. After picking up our eldest son from camp, we wanted to take... Continue Reading →
Life is Vapor, Week 8
Chapter 7 of Ecclesiastes--another fascinating bit of ancient wisdom! While it did contain a sprinkling of sound relationship advice (especially what to avoid), it wasn't a perfect match for our chapter of Thirty Thousand Days, "Love Deeply." The closest fit for that idea would have come from Ecclesiastes chapter 9, where the Preacher exuberantly says,... Continue Reading →
Life is Vapor, Week 7
Miss Erika brought it again this week as she shared with us her thoughts on holding loosely. It led to an interesting discussion of idolatry -- what is an idol? how would you know if you had one? how would you go about getting rid of it -- or would you want to? Hope you... Continue Reading →
Life is Vapor, Week 5
This week we tackled suffering. How do we care passionately in a broken world? What does it mean to have "an abundant life" in the midst of the oppression and injustice around us? How do we get our minds around that? Here are Erika's thoughts -- so encouraging! If you know someone whose life is... Continue Reading →
Life is Vapor, Week 4
For everything there is a season... This week we made it to Ecclesiastes chapter 3. I feel like we should all be singing the Byrds right now: "For everything, turn, turn, turn." Groovy! Sadly not everything in Ecclesiastes is peace, love, and rainbows, but we had a great night digging in anyway. If you are... Continue Reading →