As I have been

I am Wife Mother Sister Child Friend. Tired. Deeply tired. Tired of the questions From little mouths and my own heart. Tired of the fighting Between little voices and my own. Tired of making amends In the battered places of so many souls. Tired of the laundry, Even the socks

The Song of Silence

Not quite sunrise. I was up early. Or maybe the sun was tired today. I noticed a glow around the blinds and decided to open them anyway. As I filled my coffee, I pondered my backyard of two years.  There, at the back of our property was the stately, mangled

Here's to Heaven

Here's to heaven. When - The old friends misplaced by the passage of time, recalled with pain and tenderness, The places known in and grown in and left, The mentors that poured and labored and filled and moved on, The dear ones that got there first, oh to hear the

I am free

It’s not by my life that I am free, Not my work the Father sees, Not with doings these hands have done, Not with penance my future won. Not my working though sincere, Not my earnest falling tear, None of these my eternity sealed, Not by these that I

I stand in You

I stand in You when I face my foe,   Protected, known, defended too, For You stand above, my Advocate. So Lord, let me set down my tools, These of laws and self-righteous rules And rest, knowing that as I stand Shod in armor not my own, You forever stand on

Never forgotten

It was your tiny face that tipped my whole world. It was your tiny body that made me discover my own. It was your tiny soul that will always move mine. It is the treasure of who you are that taught me who I can be. “I’m pregnant” the

The Truth

What’s different now? About that old truth That ancient word? Let me tell you.

The present presence

His presence is always there. “I will take you journey through, I will never forsake you." His presence is always there. The present is always there When burdens abound, In the now we are found. The present is always there His presence is always there. The calm in the storm,

On quiet warfare

Friend, joy comes in the morning. As far off as the dawn feels In the dead of night, So joy feels far the Longer the fight. But fight we do, Not with sword we live But with the grace He gives. It looks like one more. One more gray morning

The older brother too

God forgives the older brother too, Though they that take it are but few. Rich in truth and so much more, It’s hard to enter through the door. That door is narrow just because It’s just so easy to follow laws. Do this, say that, you must not

Love is a Landscape

We've had a wedding in the family. It has me thinking about our own love, almost 13 years on. We're just getting started compared to many, and in many ways I feel like we're just setting out. This is part of a larger piece for my Joel. May your day

What's new for 2023?

Happy New Year friends! After a couple of weeks off (I almost wrote restful. I have 4 kids -- when is a vacation restful with 4 littles?) I am looking forward getting back to my keyboard! I write to encourage you in your walk with the Lord. I want to

Rugged Wood

Rugged wood, Little body laid. Soft the skin And rough the place. Rugged wood, His hand on lathe. Satin finish from splinters pain. Rugged wood, His pierced form. Soft the sigh But strong the cry. Rugged wood, The table spread. Soft the gasp, The stranger gone. Rugged wood, Crackled warm.

He once

He once in rugged manger laid, God so quiet and so still. He once stepped in the world He’d made. God, a baby, manager filled. He once soft sighed and snuggled close, God with us, our Immanuel. He once was carried, who we need most God with us once

It was for me

It was for me. This child born, This dear Son given, Immanuel called. It was for me. The Counselor, The King, The Mighty God came. It was for me. The Eternal Father, The Prince, my peace, The prophecy filled. It was for me. Wondrous He’s called, The kingdom placed

Christmas Update 2022

Dear Friends and Family, We had too much to say and too little postage, so welcome to our Christmas letter to one and all! This November 2022, we (Joel and Rachel) went over to England for Nathaniel’s (Rachel’s brother’s) wedding. While we were there, we had a

Immanuel, God with us

To world of hopeless horror filled A baby calm, and still. In darkness deep the Light did shine The year’s awaited sign. Tis God incarnate lies here sweet, In simple hay and feed. Immanuel, God with us, meet The answer to our need. But we’ve seen this quiet

Lord plant me here

Lord, plant me here, Where hope star of Bethlehem Soaks the dark all year round. Lord, plant me here, In the light of Your courts In love of a different sort. Lord, plant me here, Let me live all my days Fully know your ways. Lord, plant me here, Beside

Let me tell you about children

Let me tell you about children. They are loud noises from small bodies. “Sooo big” but still so small. They are busy and clumsy and silly and serious. They are working and trying and growing and failing and struggling and falling and getting up again. They are exploring and questioning

Don't pity the plant

Pity not the plant As Jonah did that day In wake of fearful judgment stayed Thousands repent And honor now his name Oh pity not the plant. When your shade removed When the sun beats down Don’t pity then the plant. Think instead of enemies Made friends And the

The path to Heaven

If I could show you How He longs to know you And be known still in return, If I could tell you He would only compel you To the solid hope of Him. You’d set aside “ought,” For your heart would be caught Up in the brilliance Of all

Savor your Blessings

Savor your blessings Take them one by one Savor your blessings See what God has done. Let the gratitude wash And the full cup slosh Savor your blessings Do tell, what God has done! Did he free you And never leave you? Did he name you And never shame you?

Simple Steps

Simple steps, not mighty leaps. Simple steps, my path he keeps. Simple steps, round Jericho’s wall. Simple steps, answering the call. Simple steps, contentment blooms Simple steps to Satan’s doom. Simple steps with simple faith, Simple steps for stunning pace. Simple steps saw millions reached Simple steps the

Being

The ache of not being Of no one caring Of taking up space And no one noticing Has a way of hollowing out Who are you are deep inside It echos It bakes It stings And it stays. It tremors in love It tremors in joy It tremors in failure

Taxes

Have you ever tried to pay your dad taxes? I have. After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?" “Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house,