I’ve noticed the last couple of days the level of angst increasing among my Midwestern neighbors. A blizzard was predicted to blanket our area with ice, snow and winds. The grocery store on Saturday looked like a beehive in high blossom time. And if you were searching for bread and hot dogs, you were out of luck. Everywhere individuals were discussing what was to come. And while I prayed silently that all would be safe, I must admit I was cheering the LORD on because I just l

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text:   John 4:46-53 So, Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He made the water wine. There was a certain nobleman whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was in Galilee, he went to Him and begged Him to come down to heal his son who was at the point of death Jesus said, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” But the nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down lest my child die.” Jesus said to him, “Go on your way, yo

Today in the upper Midwest we are expecting another weather event with the potential for rain, sleet, ice, snow, and high winds. And of course, I raised this with the LORD while I was on the porch with Him this morning. I might have even included a “really?” in my conversation. I acknowledged that He is capable of producing any and all of those phenomena, but did He have to roll them all out in a day? And I might have even mentioned that it was March, only a week away from sp

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text:   Ephesians 5:8-14 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light for the fruit of the Spirit is all goodness and righteousness and truth. Recognize what is acceptable to the Lord. Do not partake of the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made visible by the light; and a

Yesterday, when I woke up it was still dark outside, but I could hear the wind. It was whipping around my home and whistling through the trees. It was so strong that the windows rattled. And I remembered I needed to go to a meeting in the town nearly 20 miles away. I stopped in my tracks. I don’t like driving on windy days.   I have my reasons. In the early 1990s I was driving on the Madison Beltline on a very windy day. Directly ahead of me in the middle lane was an ABS truc

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text:   Luke 18:9-14 And Jesus spoke a parable to: “Two men went up into the temple to pray: a Pharisee and a publican. The Pharisee stood with himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not as other men, insatiably greedy, unjust, faithless, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice each week. I give tithes on all that I possess.’ But the publican, standing far away, would not even raise his eyes unto heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God,

Yesterday, I had an appointment to discuss an upcoming retreat I’d been asked to facilitate. It was at the parish where I’d served for 20 years, and I was excited to visit again because I hadn’t been back in all those years. I arrived early so I could walk around and see everything again with new eyes.   I was amazed at all the changes but also at how moved I was to be in that place again that was full of memories. I stood in the back of church and tried to take it all in and

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text:   Mark 12:28-32 One of the scribes came…and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” And Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The LORD our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all you soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is namely this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater t

Last night was my last official class with confirmation candidates and their parents or sponsors. And I focused on what I always have over the years on the final class. I asked them, candidates and sponsors, to answer the question “So what?” What difference has their shared journey made in their lives? How are they different from the people who showed up for the first class?   Over the years, I have found that so many show up for the event because someone is taking attendance

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text:   Jeremiah 7:22-23 “When I delivered your ancestors out of Egypt, I did not give them commands concerning burnt offerings or sacrifice. But I commanded them saying, ‘Hear my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; you shall walk in all ways that I have commanded you so that it you may prosper.’”   MEDITATIO - Meditate on text, allow the LORD to touch us with His Word: The LORD does not desire burnt offerings but rather a loving

This week, when I was pretty sure I had turned the corner on learning and was forgetting rather than getting, I was watching HGTV and the one decorator who had interjected an opinion with a client when he shouldn’t have was told by the other that his job was to “listen” which is the same as “silent” – same letters just scrambled. I didn’t know that! Well, I did know it, technically, but I’d never recognized it.   Our walk with the LORD can be a lot like my experience this wee

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text:   Psalm 19:2-5 2 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows forth His achievements. 3 Day utters the promise unto day, and night makes known to night knowledge. 4 Not a promise nor an act expressed goes unheard. 5  Through all the earth their expression goes out, and their words to the end of the world.   MEDITATIO - Meditate on text, allow the LORD to touch us with His Word: The heavens proclaim the glory of the LORD without w

I was told long ago in chemistry class that life goes better when we pick the perfect partner. I didn’t do so well in chemistry class, my lab partner was lost most of the time. But when it came to a husband, I was blessed. Today is his birthday, so my thoughts are very focused on him and what he’s brought to me, our family, and the world.   He’s been the perfect partner for so many reasons. It’s not just because he is a foot taller than I am and can reach everything in the wo

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text:   Psalm 121:7-8 The LORD shall guard you from all evil; He shall guard your soul. The LORD shall guard your going and coming now until forever.   MEDITATIO - Meditate on text, allow the LORD to touch us with His Word: Do I allow the LORD to be the LORD or am I insisting on my independence? Do I allow the LORD to guard me or do I insist I can do it myself? Do I recognize that the LORD was with me as I came into this world? Will I allow the LORD to

This past weekend, I was notified that I could not use the biblical text site I have been using for my daily scripture reflection and prayer. So, I tried to find another site, but I kept running into copyright hurdles. I didn’t know what to do when this door closed, so I took it to prayer. I sat on my porch, closed my eyes, and prayed. And the Hebrew words of Psalm 121 filled my mind. And I realized the LORD just opened a window. Rather than relying on another’s translation o

NOTE: Beginning today, I will no longer be presenting readings from the day’s lectionary. Instead, I will be using Lectio Divina with small pieces or texts from our scripture. Lectio Divina is an ancient form of prayer using small scripture texts. It consists of our steps: Lectio involves reading the text; Meditatio  involves meditating on the text and in that time of reflection allowing the LORD to touch us with His Word; Oratio  involves bringing to prayer our needs, prais

Last evening, as I was getting ready for bed, I realized or more accurately I was reminded that the time changed overnight. While I was sleeping, someone somewhere thought it was a good idea to take away an hour so I’d have more sunlight in my day. I’m not sure there is a worse weekend in my life for that to happen than this one. This week has been busier than usual. I planned on getting up this morning, but not so much “springing forward.” I was thinking more “sliding” – you

This week’s soup supper brought people from all over to enjoy the free fare with friends and to provide an environment of mutual concern. I watched as people introduced themselves to strangers next to them and shared not only the nourishment for their bodies but also for their souls.   Late in the supper, my husband arrived and I stepped aside from my chores and went to have supper with him. We sat down across from a woman I know and love and her daughter whom I’d never met.

Date: Saturday of the 2 nd  week of Lent Scripture Text:   Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." So to them Jesus addressed this parable. "A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between them. After a fe

Yesterday, I put on my apron at 8 a.m. and took it off at 8 p.m. The long day brought ladles of love in various ways at different times. And I am reminded that the LORD calls us to His Way daily and of the graces and blessings that abound when we show up.   The first blessing was coming to know another woman of the parish better, seeing her talents but also her joy at being called to share them and use them for the LORD and others. I was amazed at her organization, her authen