Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of a season in the Church called “Lent” that runs for the 40 days (excluding Sundays) leading up to Easter. Though practiced by Christians for centuries, Lent can be confusing and opaque, and may leave you wondering, “What is Lent really about anyway?”
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The specter of death weighs more heavily on our country than any time since World War II. What a gnawing fear we face, not knowing how or when we, or our loved ones, might contract COVID-19. For my family it also triggers the pain of losing our son Peter to suicide in 2008. The finality of death accompanied by waves of sadness seems to leave little room for recovery or hope.
Read MoreThe Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid? What a fitting Bible verse, as the new year has come upon us and Covid seems never ending. What is your fear?
Read MoreGenesis 34 is titled in my Bible, “Dinah and the Shechemites.” While this portion of Genesis is supposed to be about Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, I find it interesting that she does not speak nor make a decision for herself throughout her entire story. She is abused by an outsider and then silenced by her opportunistic brothers bent on avenging her.
Read MoreIn the almost ONE YEAR we’ve been on various shelter in place orders, I have to admit it was the sourdough craze that really tipped me over the edge in my feeling of utter unaccomplishment. I hadn’t taken up running! I absolutely hadn’t yet learned a language.
Read MoreHave you ever tried to control the outcome of something so much that even though you recognize no matter how much you think about it or stress out, there isn't much you can do that will actually change the outcome?
Read MoreJacob is born making a selfish power grab (literally grabbing the heel of his brother, Esau). And then he deceptively tricks his father, Isaac, into giving him Esau's blessing - who trades it for a bowl of stew. Yet in spite of Jacob's selfish behavior & his own human frailty, God still earnestly desires to bless him, as we see during Jacob's dream in Genesis 28:13-17:
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