When I was growing up, my brothers and I had a knack for getting into trouble. We were always rolling around like a pack of puppies and inevitably one of us would run into the house crying and bleeding. But my parents had a way with dealing with us and parental disappointment in our family. … [Read more…]
Last week I mentioned how little Will Bassett asked me what God sounded like and how would he know if God was talking to him. Jewish rabbinical tradition tells us to look towards nature for the word of God. We are told to look towards nature for our heavenly inspiration. I love to go out … [Read more…]
Our world is constantly moving, changing, evolving, and in a state of becoming something else. Our lives too are often found to be in constantly flux. Babies are born, young people get married, families grow, and people pass away and families shrink. In the world, people fight one another, wars begin and wars end, world … [Read more…]
I remember almost 11 years ago this August, my oldest nephew was born. The whole family was beside it’s self with joy over the beautiful new little baby boy in the family. Bill and I rushed over to the hospital the moment we got the go ahead from my brother to come. We were asked … [Read more…]
I have always been fascinated with what Jesus was asking of his disciples in these passages. He was asking them to travel around Galilee sharing his very controversial message openly to all who would listen and to bring nothing with them for the journey. They were not to bring water, food, a change of clothing, … [Read more…]
On the surface you may be asking why these two stories are intertwined and what the meaning of these stories is. But the story of the daughter of Jairus and the bleeding woman are about what it takes to have faith. In life, it is hard to not become cynical about the world around us. … [Read more…]
Have you ever felt as if your courage and strength may not hold up to some of the challenges of life? Sometimes we get frustrated with life and things seem too hard to be done. I remember the first sermon I ever preached. I was 18 years old. I was petrified of preaching. I was … [Read more…]
My father is an avid fisherman. When I was a little girl I remember him taking my brothers and I down to the Babcock Pond to spend the day fishing. At that young age, I didn’t know anything about fishing. So he very gently and calmly showed me how to bait my hook with the … [Read more…]
When I was a child, I really wanted to get the toy in the Fruity Pebble’s box. It was a silly little ink stamp in the shape of a dinosaur. So I very publicly announced “Dibs” on the stamp, which with my brothers had always been their way of laying claim to something they want. … [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…]
