He came up to me after I finished my presentation. He stood patiently as others took their turns asking me questions. I noticed how well he was following the conversation. Finally, it was just him and me. “How did you really know?” And I knew I’d been right; he was a seeker. It takes one to know one. And we began an ongoing conversation that is still ongoing years later. In today’s gospel reading from Luke 11:9, Jesus tells us: “Ask and you will receive, seek and you will f

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Luke 11:5-13 And He said to them, “Which of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves because a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to put before him.’ And he responds to you from within saying, ‘Trouble me not. The door has already been shut, and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, even if he does not get up to g

When I arrived that night for faith formation with 6th graders, the director met me at the door. I could tell by her face that something was amiss. She led with a question, “Could you possibly teach the 4th graders tonight as well? Their teacher got sick suddenly.” I said, “Sure. No problem.” Then as I walked to my room, I admitted to the LORD who is always with me that it might be a problem. But then the students arrived, trickling in, taking stock of the situation. When it

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Luke 11:1-4 And it came to pass that Jesus was praying in a certain place and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.” MEDITATIO - Medi

Our bible study group is reading the Acts of the Apostles. And we are coming to understand the role of the Spirit in our world, our lives, and our faith. So, this morning, as I sat outside on my porch in the dark, waking up in the presence of the LORD and appreciating the world around me, I wondered what the day would bring. I always have my plans, but then there’s life which rarely goes exactly as planned. If there’s one thing my 76 years have taught me, it is to be prepared

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Luke 10:38-42 Now it came to pass, as they went, Jesus entered a certain village where a woman named Martha received him into her home. She had a sister named Mary who sat at Jesus’ feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do the serving alone? Tell her to help me.” Jesus said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about ma

I had promised to make cookies for two events last week, so I dug out my mixer and the ingredients and went to it. I creamed the butter, sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla, added the cream of tartar and soda and flour, and stirred. It was too dry. Then I realized I’d used the wrong amount of butter. I melted another stick, stirred it in, and hoped for the best. They turned out pretty well. No one handed me back a half-eaten cookie with complaints. I’m a bit of a nerd, if you hav

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Luke 10:25-37 A scholar of the law stood up and tested Jesus saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you shall live.”

It was the summer of 1955 in tiny Rogers, Texas. I had finally talked my dad into letting me ride a bike but that entailed teaching me how to ride. My sister, who was three years older than me, had gotten a new and bigger bike, so her castoff was available. And so, on a Saturday morning my dad took me outside and he held the bike while I clumsily straddled the frame and climbed up on the seat. His instructions were simple. “You have seen how it’s done. Just remember to keep p

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Philippians 4:6-9 Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honest, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, if there is any virtue and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about th

Not too long ago, someone asked me my favorite part of the Exodus Story in the Hebrew Scriptures, I had to admit it was the story of the manna. The LORD provided what the Israelites needed day by day. The LORD didn’t disappoint. The LORD kept His promise. But the people were still slow to trust, and when they didn’t trust and took more manna than they could consume that day, the extra rotted. It’s a truth I try to carry with me day to day – the LORD provides, but I gotta trus

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Luke 10:17-24 The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” He (Jesus) said, ‘I observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I give you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in hea

This past week, as we were breaking open the Word at Bible Study, discussing Acts, chapter 4, we were struck by the number of those who came to believe. And I asked those present to take some time to discuss in small group when they “came to believe.” While the vast majority of us there were baptized as infants, we all recognize that is not the same thing as having faith. As the participants discussed their spiritual awakenings, I walked around and ease dropped a bit. There w

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Psalm 139: 1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14b R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way. O LORD, you have searched me and you know me; You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar. My paths and my rest you scrutinize., With all my ways You are acquainted. R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way. Where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; If

Today is the feast of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower. A French Carmelite cloistered nun who died at the age of 24. She is most famous for her “Little Way” in which she stressed the great good that flows from doing “little things with great love.” I’ve seen it myself as I recognize the good that has come through what many may classify as “little” actions. v A man uses his time to call on people who are homebound, visiting with them, praying with them, and bringing

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Psalm 27:7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14 R. (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the LORD in the land of the living. Hear, O LORD, when I cry out; Have mercy on me and answer me. When you said, “Seek my face,” My heart said to thee, “Thy face, LORD I will seek.. R. (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the LORD in the land of the living. Hide not your face from me; Do not in anger decline your servant. You are my helper; do not

Yesterday, as I sat on the porch in the middle of the day, I looked around and told myself that fall is here and I need to be thinking about winter. It was time to make plans to take the plants that grace my porch inside. “Time flies,” I told myself. It seemed like only yesterday that I’d taken them out for the warm weather and sunshine. But it wasn’t only yesterday. And then I thought of all the things I’d promised myself I would do during the “warm months.” Need I tell you

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Luke 9:57-62 And it came to pass as they journeyed, a certain man said to Jesus, “Lord, I will follow you wheresoever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” And He said to another, “Follow me.” But he answered, “Lord, allow me to go first and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” An

A couple weekends ago, I had our whole family for birthday celebrations, and I was responsible for making several dishes to share. As I prepped the tossed salad, I chose my special large bowl with family memories, memories almost everyone would recall. I made it while on family vacation to Door County. It was intentionally made as a utilitarian memory, a symbol greater than its current purpose, one that would remind me of my time with family every time I used it. My life and

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: John 1:47-51 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and he said, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile.” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, you were standing under the fig tree. I saw you.” Nathanael answered and said to him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.” Jesus responded and said to him, “Because I told you I saw you under the fig t