As a child, my father thought it imperative, that my brothers and I learned about nature. We would watch nature programs together as a family and my father taught us about food chains, the birth of animals, and the power of nature. We would observe how our cats would stalk birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits … [Read more…]
When I was in high school and college, I was known for never really being happy in my relationships. My brothers used to tease me that I hurt all the young men I dated. And you know, they were right. I frequently would grow bored with my relationships and then move on. When I met … [Read more…]
As Christians, we very rarely speak of the importance of Sabbath rest and what it really means. And I have spent the past week reflecting upon how other peoples honor Sabbath rest. My father-in-law’s family, who range from conservation to orthodox Jews, takes very seriously the notion of Sabbath. On the Sabbath my husband’s uncles … [Read more…]
Sometimes I wonder what in the world God is thinking and what he has in store for the world and me. I had a mentor in seminary who one day said to me “Amanda, everything you experience in life is meant to be used. There is a reason for everything and God has a plan.” … [Read more…]
On Monday, I got home from work and decided to go for a hike in the woods at Terrywile Park in Danbury. Maia needed to get out some energy and I was feeling particularly grumpy so I decided I needed sometime alone in the woods. I have always experienced peace and rest while out in … [Read more…]
My mother-in-law is an Italian American. Her grandfather did what most of our ancestors did. He gave up everything he had, left behind most of his family in Italy, and risked his life for the promise of a better one here in America. When he arrived, as a young man in his early 20s, he … [Read more…]
The other night Bill and I sat out in the dark on the back deck with only the glow of a citronella candle and just quietly stared up at the night sky, listening to the sounds around us. As I stared at the night sky, I felt very much like the Psalmist from our scriptures … [Read more…]
Our parents are our earliest teachers. It is from them that our personalities are molded and our values are shaped. Our parents provide us with the foundations of who we are: flaws and all. Mothers, and those who have been like mothers, help to teach us what is important in life and how to be … [Read more…]
Temptation has been a uniquely human experience since the beginning of time. Temptation is something we all face each every single day. Sometimes we feel it more poignantly than others. Sometimes we are successful in our resistance to it and other times we fall to those temptations face first. Sometimes we have help to resist … [Read more…]
When I work on a big project, I have a very distinct process. It has been the same process since I was in college and it seems to work well for me. Step 1: view the project in its entirety, Step 2: have a panic attack and want to run away screaming, Step 3: Wonder … [Read more…]
