It was fall and I was at a five day silent retreat at a monastery in Kentucky. The first day, I took a walk on the thousands of acres owned by the monks. Leaves covered the ground and the crunch beneath my feet reminded me that cooler weather was just around the corner. During my …
Out of the Chaos
Inspiration for living outside of the chaos.
Water is a natural feature of northwestern Montana. Rivers and lakes abound with all the aquatic activities your heart could desire. Boating, canoeing, rafting, fishing and swimming are just out the back door in the clearest, coldest water you can imagine. Water is not only a great source of activity, it is absolutely necessary for …
I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth. 3 John 1:4 Today is an opportunity to set aside time for worship of the Lord our God. This will be my sanctuary as I meet the Lord in the splendor of the great outdoors. I invite you to …
As I ponder what my younger me needs to hear, this song came to mind. It expresses perfectly what I wish to tell that little girl still living inside me. She needs to know that she is one of the redeemed… Let this song be your refrain as you enjoy whatever life brings your way …
Do you ever ponder what you would tell the younger you? You know, if time travel was possible and you could sit with the younger self. Would you tell that person things to avoid? People to stay away from? To spend more time doing some things, less time doing other things? Read: Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 Solomon …
Read: 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 Life brings change. Childhood memories are just that, memories. Houses are built on that plot of land that once was bare ground. The grocery store on the corner is demolished and replaced with a casino. The one lane bridge that was a shortcut to town is closed and deemed unusable. Just …
Sunday we did something we rarely do anymore. We took a picnic to the park. Purchasing fried chicken with sides along with some lemonade and ice tea, we spread our blankets on the ground for a picnic the old fashioned way. As we laid out our lunch, Dave discarded something in the trash. As he …
Read: Isaiah 43:1-4; John 3:16-17 It is the early morning hours. The time when dawn gently taps me awake, nudging me into consciousness while my body continues to slumber. The first rays of awareness break through, exposing the heaviness that has been my companion these last few days. I do the only thing I know …
Read: Romans 12:2-3 Today we had the awesome privilege of spending the afternoon at a friend’s pool. The pool deck is surrounded by beautiful plantings of both perennials and annuals. Her flower pots overflowed with geraniums, petunias and sweet potato vines of various colors inviting a person to lay back and relax! Another friend and …
Read: Isaiah 8:11-17 You might be wondering what in the world this reading has to do with parenting. In my experience as a parent, I spent too much time thinking about what other parents were doing or thought they would do. I followed other parents patterns in an attempt to get it right. The truth …
Out of the Chaos 