I had a hard time at church yesterday. I was feeling a lot of discomfort and even pain, and the morning had already been an exhausting one by the time we arrived. There were also some other barriers to my ability to enter into worship, and I found myself standing in the back, behind where… Continue reading Outside looking in…
Category: Friends
Making sense of her world
Today at lunch, one of our good friends was over and he was joking with Doug about whether Doug was “Black” in his taste in suites (we will all be at a wedding tomorrow, and the two of them were discussing wardrobe choices). He also had a few amusing things to say about the ways… Continue reading Making sense of her world
The cost of a half-embrace
As I have mentioned here already, I am currently restricted from picking up my two children due to recovery from abdominal surgery. When I first received this mandate, my primary concern was logistical: how will we do meals and naps and how will we go outside to play? Those logistics remain challenging, but what has… Continue reading The cost of a half-embrace
Being honest
It is an interesting thing I have learned about myself the last few years: the needier I feel, the stingier I become. I wrote about this in one of my earlier blog entries, and as much as I have repented of this and prayed for a new heart in this area, I still struggle. Clearly,… Continue reading Being honest
Ears to hear
There was deep concern these past few days for a few members of my denomination who were in the Congo during the recent eruption of violence there. It was with great relief and thanks to God that we heard yesterday that the two who were in the greatest danger had in fact boarded a plane… Continue reading Ears to hear
Update
Robyn was kind enough to ask how I was feeling, and I thought it fitting to share a bit as so many of you have been prayer companions with us these past days. I had a follow-up appointment with my surgeon and all is well in terms of my healing. The pain has greatly diminished… Continue reading Update
Surprise!
A few weeks ago, I received an incredible gift. We have very dear L.A. friends who moved here at the exact same time that we did who get together with us every Friday night for dinner (or “Friday Night Club” as we fondly refer to it). They live and work in Santa Monica, and so… Continue reading Surprise!
What youth need
I have had a lot of conversations recently with people around issues of ministering to youth and how that can be done most effectively. While in my hospital bed, Doug and I listened to a recording of Chap Clark’s inaugural lecture at Fuller Seminary where he brilliantly assesses the state of youth ministry in the… Continue reading What youth need
The hiddenness of pride
It is a truly humbling thing to be at the center of people’s love and care. There is this total submission that happens where one ceases to claim control and sufficiency, and instead stops to simply receive. It is never something any of us are inclined to do by choice, and I think it has… Continue reading The hiddenness of pride
Good news (or The longest blog post I have ever written)
I had much more romantic notions of how I would share this news here, but I am learning that life is not always about our ideas of romance. Doug and I are expecting our third baby in early October. That is the marvelous news in the midst of all that has been dreadful and challenging… Continue reading Good news (or The longest blog post I have ever written)