Tag: God’s love

• 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

• “O Lord, I want you to help me”

  If you were confined to jail for several months, and you were allowed to get together in the jail chapel with the chaplain and a few other inmates for an hour once every two weeks to have a time to read the Bible, share your thoughts, pray for each other, and sing a couple songs,…

  Marian

  October 8, 2013

  God’s Love, Jail Ministry, Music, Reflections

  Amazing Grace, friends, God’s love, help me, help me on my journey, help me on this journey, How Great Thou Art, inmates singing, jail chapel, jail ministry, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, O God help me, O Lord I want you to help me, Precious Lord Take My Hand, reflections, singing, spirituality, Surely the presence of the Lord, talking with God

• Why did we do it?

  Sunday in church our pastor announced to the congregation that Mim and I were married in Minneapolis last weekend, after living together 40 years. Seated on the organ bench, which is near the front of the sanctuary, I looked out over all the people who had great big smiles on their faces as they applauded…

  Marian

  September 24, 2013

  Celebrations, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Personal Retreats

  Augsburg College, Bible study, Blessing Ceremony, change in my life, church family, Commitment Ceremony, friends, getting organized, goals, God’s love, legal protections, life calling, life challenges, Minneapolis, power of attorney documents, real wedding, reflections, same-sex marriage, wedding, wedding day, wills

• Make My Day!

  A few weeks ago I received a phone call from Gladys, one of my ninety-plus-year-old friends in Chicago. I had sent her a letter to tell her about the two books I’ve written, and she was calling to talk about them, as well as to bring Mim and me up to date with some changes…

  Marian

  September 10, 2013

  God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  Adventures in Hospitality, Aunt Edith, Barbara Robinson, blind, blindness, book stub, books on tape, devotional book, e-book format, free copy of book, friends, Friendship Club, Gladys Johnson, goals, God’s love, God-given gifts, hospitality, Kindle, kindness, life calling, life challenges, life changes, Lighthouse for the Blind, listening for God, love your neighbor, macular degeneration, make my day, old friends, reading to the blind, reflections, Resurrection Lutheran Church, seniors club, Text-to-Speech, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

• My Mom’s Wedding Ring

  I wore my mom’s wedding ring to church on Sunday. I sometimes wear the ring when I want to feel that Mom is especially close to me. Often that’s when I’m planning to play some extra special music on the piano or organ at church, and I know Mom would really enjoy listening to it.…

  Marian

  September 3, 2013

  God’s Love, Music, Reflections

  Be Still My Soul, Bill Gaither, church family, church music, coffee hour, East Koshkonong Lutheran Church, extended family, family of God, Finlandia, friends, God’s love, God-given gifts, His Eye Is on the Sparrow, In the Garden, life calling, Messiah Lutheran Church, mom, organist, pianist, reflections, Sibelius, the Family of God, wedding ring

• Why Did God Create Wasps?

  “Hey, Mom. Why did God create wasps?” “That’s a good question, Abbey. I’ve been wondering the same thing myself. We’ve sure had a lot of them on our deck and our front porch this summer. An exterminator has been here three times this month, and we still have wasps. Some days I’m afraid to sit…

  Marian

  August 27, 2013

  Life’s Challenges, Nature

  Abbey, agricultural pest control, bee, bee sting, bees, benefit of the doubt, biocontrol, exterminator, God’s creation, God’s love, good reason for creating wasps, life challenges, life is complicated, little beasts, looking for the good, nature, parasitic wasps, pest control, pest insect, pest insects, reflections, spirituality, sting, wasp, wasp species, wasp sting, wasps