The other day, I reached for something in the dishwasher, barely touched the blade of our Ninja food processor, and then ran for a band aid to staunch the blood flowing down my finger. Note to self: don’t touch the Ninja blade. That’s called a lesson. I learned something by experience. Years ago, a friend of mine landed in the hospital, deathly ill. He had eaten poorly for years, consuming vast quantities of soda pop instead of water. His lifestyle had messed up his kidneys, along with his overall general health. Note to self: eat well and hydrate properly. That’s called a testimony. Continue Reading

 Sammy came running down the hallway crying. He wasn’t hurt. He wasn’t scared. He was upset because he smelled cookies baking during his nap time – and he didn’t get to help make them. Sometimes I did let Sammy help. His favorite job was to crack the eggs on the edge of the mixing bowl. Picture a three-year-old with this task. Let’s just say the cookie batter usually ended up plenty rich in calcium. I’m glad I let him help, though, not just for his sake but for mine. As he happily smacked an egg onto the steel rim of the bowl and let the mess of white, yolk, and shells slide down into Continue Reading

It rules and structures our lives. It is familiar and comforting to us. And it feels like we never have enough of it. Time can be a tyrant or a friend. “Time is an illusion, time is a curse; time is all these things and worse,” sings Amy Grant. That’s true if we live bound by time-consciousness, unable to enjoy the presence of God in the present moment because we are mentally checking over our to-do list. On the other hand, I’ve heard it said, “Time is your friend.”  If we are comfortable with letting time go by, refusing to anxiously micro-manage every minute, time really can be our Continue Reading

Have you heard the story of the frog that was put in a cooking pot and happily stayed put while he gradually boiled to death? He just didn’t notice that the water was getting hot. I feel bad for the frog, but he illustrates a point. It’s the subtle changes that can catch us unaware. A couple of summers ago, we put a vinyl roll-up shade on the outside of our dining room window to cut the heat of the morning sun. It was pure white when we hung it, and let in plenty of light. We could enjoy a cool breakfast without feeling trapped in a dark cave. Nice. Last fall, I opted not to wash and Continue Reading