Category: God’s Love

• Success! I finally memorized it!

  “Jesus loves me, this I know … “That’s the first song I memorized as a child. That’s a song little children still memorize today. Sometimes when I’m practicing the piano or organ at church, a little child will timidly walk up to me to watch me play. I’ll stop what I’m playing and invite the…

  Marian

  December 17, 2013

  God’s Love, Jail Ministry, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  accomplishments, Adventures in Hospitality, Come Lord Jesus, daily devotions, Dan Korth, God’s love, Helen Hunt Jackson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, hospitality, Jesus loves me, Joan Chittister, John 3:16, kindness, life challenges, love your neighbor, memorization, memorizing Bible verses, memorizing poems, October’s Bright Blue Weather, Pledge of Allegiance, reflections, spirituality, The Monastic Way, to make life better for everyone, village blacksmith, women inmates

• I Look Forward to “Church” in Jail

  Last week I participated in one of the most inspiring worship services ever at the County Jail. As usual, I was there to play the piano, and the chaplain and inmates welcomed me into their circle of sharing. Last Thursday afternoon there were 13 women inmates plus Chaplain Julia and myself sitting on wooden chairs…

  Marian

  December 10, 2013

  God’s Love, Jail Ministry, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  Advent, friends, God’s love, group retreats, jail ministry, life challenges, love your neighbor, reflections, spirituality, whispering winds

• A Christmas Letter from Abbey

  This morning as I was sitting at my desk Abbey came over to me and sat down. “Mom,” she said. “I have a favor to ask.” “What’s that?” I responded. “Will you help me write a Christmas letter to send to all my friends? I don’t have fingers like you have, and it’s really hard…

  Marian

  December 3, 2013

  Celebrations, Christmas, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Music, Reflections

  Abbey, aging, assisted living, Christmas Carols, Christmas catalogs, Christmas Letter, Christmas shopping, Christmas Spirit, Edith Sinclair Downing, friends, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, God’s love, Heifer International, Holiday Hounds, If I fly as birds at dawning, Laurie Loughlin, life changes, love your neighbor, reflections, spirituality, wisdom, World Vision

• Thinking too hard

  Sometimes, I think, I think too much. I think too hard about choices as I try to determine what is best. For example,  today I’m trying to decide whether to write my blog about what some inmates said the last time we shared a worship service in the jail chapel, or to write about some…

  Marian

  November 26, 2013

  Celebrations, God’s Love, Jail Ministry, Reflections

  Abbey, Be still and know that I am God, choosing music, Christ the King, Christ the King Sunday, Delores Dufner, different kind of king, Dr. Edman, emperor of Ethiopia, God’s love, Haile Selassie, jail ministry, listening for God, O Christ what can it mean for us, postludes, preludes, Presence of the King, reflections, second chance, serving communion, spirituality, talking with God, thankful, thankful for jail, Thanksgiving, thinking, V. Raymond Edman, Wheaton College, worship experience, worship service

• Delicious Solitude

  During the month of October, the daily reflections in The Monastic Way pamphlet by Joan Chittister were on the theme of “Delicious Solitude.” I loved those reflections! Here’s a sampling. October 1: Solitude, like black olives, is an acquired taste. But once it touches the soul it is the only place where we can come to…

  Marian

  November 19, 2013

  God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Music, Personal Retreats, Reflections

  Christmas Mountain, God’s love, Joan Chittister, life challenges, listening for God, Monastic Way, nest of noise, playing the piano, reflections, retreats, Sabbath, silence, solitude, spirituality, talking with God, The Monastic Way

• Sibling Rivalry – We’re at it Again!

  Siblings are the people we practice on, the people who teach us about fairness and cooperation and kindness and caring, quite often the hard way.  [Pamela Dugdale] My brother Danny was almost two years old when I was born. According to our mom’s notes in my baby book, Danny’s first reaction to me was “pretty baby Marian” as he watched…

  Marian

  November 12, 2013

  Celebrations, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  Anna Quindlan, brother, childhood memories, childhood squabbles, Dan Korth, Danny, Desmond Tutu, extended family, fairness, family memories, God’s gift, God’s gift to you, God’s love, kindness, life calling, life challenges, love your neighbor, love-hate relationship, Pamela Dugdale, reflections, same-sex marriage, sibling, sibling rivalry, siblings, spirituality, wedding reception, You don’t choose your family

• Implementing New Systems – the Way God Did It, and the Way We Do It

  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. [Genesis 1:1-2 NKJV] OMG! What did God do! He just went ahead and created a whole…

  Marian

  November 5, 2013

  God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  Affordable Care Act, case tracking system, creation, Genesis 1, glitch, God’s love, healthcare.gov, Kevin Korth, learning curve, life challenges, mpix, New King James version, Obama Care, patience, photo book, reflections, Shutterfly, spirituality, State’s Attorney’s Office, system development, system implementation, systems consulting, Universal Affordable Health Care

• Remembering the Saints – the most significant people in my life who are now dead

    Thursday of this week is Halloween, the eve of All Saints Day. On Sunday, some churches will read a list of members of the congregation who have died over the past year. This is a time of year to remember the people who are no longer with us who have been significant to us…

  Marian

  October 29, 2013

  Celebrations, God’s Love, Music, Reflections, Reunions

  All Saints Day, Aunt Edith, Auntie Emma, Bill Leslie, change in my life, christmas, church organist, daily devotions, Edith Kenseth, Eileen Scott, Emma Prescott, family reunion, friends, God’s love, God-given gifts, Gospel pianist, Halloween, Helen Knoblauch, kindness, Marion Gilberts, Mark Hjermstad, Mary Borgerud, Mom’s love, Mother’s love, Nancy Kornelsen, reflections, Royal Bailie, saints, Selma Jacobson, significant people in my life, thankful, thankfulness, Thanksgiving

• Grace and a Failing Grade

  Pastor Jeff told a quick story at the end of the church service last week. An old friend of his, a priest, had died earlier in the week. This story was told at his funeral. The priest had been an English teacher in a Catholic high school. Many years ago, one of his students came…

  Marian

  October 22, 2013

  God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  athletic policy, Catholic high school, change in my life, Charles Stanley, English teacher, failing grade, fairness, friends, God’s gifts, God’s love, God-given gifts, grace, grace of God, high school, high school football, homework, homework assignments, kindness, life challenges, listening for God, love your neighbor, Pastor Jeff, reflections, report card, school policies, spirituality, Tony Campolo, undeserved gifts

• Stumbling along in Life

  Abbey was lying on the floor beside my desk as I was going through emails. After about ten minutes, she looked up at me and asked, “Hey, Mom. Have a few minutes to talk?” “Sure, Abbey. What’s up?” “When we were out for our walk this morning, did you notice me stumble? I was prancing…

  Marian

  October 15, 2013

  God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  Abbey, change in my life, embarrassed, embarrassment, God tripped me, God’s love, God-given gifts, humility, kindness, life calling, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, patience, reflections, stumble, stumbling, talking with Abbey, talking with God, walking with Abbey