Tag: life challenges

• The Blessings of Awful Stories in the Bible

  There are some pretty awful stories in the Bible – like the story of Tamar in Genesis. She was a young widow who disguised herself as a temple prostitute in order to entrap her father-in-law into having sex with her so that she would have a son. Have you ever wondered why that story is…

  Marian

  March 18, 2014

  God’s Love, Jail Ministry, Music, Reflections

  awful Bible stories, awful stories, fairness, friends, God’s love, hard decisions, hymn sing, jail ministry, joy, kindness, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, praying for each other, reflections, sharing our stories, sharing stories, singing together, spirituality, talking with God, Tamar, tough decisions, worship service

• I had a dream

  One night last week I dreamed I was hurrying as fast as I could. I was at an airport, Philadelphia, I think. I was alone, running to find my gate to catch my flight.  I made a quick stop in one of the restrooms on my way. Then I continued running toward my gate, carrying…

  Marian

  March 11, 2014

  Book Recommendations, Reflections

  Alan Fadling, An Unhurried Life, dream, fasting, giving up hurry, God’s love, hurry, hurrying, Jan Persson, kindness, Lent, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, Northwest Industries, not hurrying, Philadelphia, Philadelphia airport, reflections, rushing, spirituality, Stephen A. Macchia, talking with God

• Hurry Up!

  Yesterday morning, after breakfast, Abbey and I went outside for our usual morning walk. The sun was shining in a clear blue sky, but the temperature was 8 below zero. I put on my winter boots, bundled up with my down-filled jacket and pulled the hood over my head. Abbey waited patiently while I slipped…

  Marian

  March 4, 2014

  Book Recommendations, Lent, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  Abbey, Alan Fadling, An Unhurried Life, conversation with Abbey, daily devotions, eating snow, fast from hurry, fasting for Lent, fasting from hurry, hurry, hurry up, Jesus Calling, joy, leisurely pace, Lent, life challenges, listening for God, morning walk, perfect word, reflections, sarah young, spirituality

• The Three Nonagenarians

  Three 92-year-old women walk into a bar – an artist, a nun, and a state legislator. The bartender asks what he can get them. The artist wants a cup of herbal tea; the nun wants half a glass of milk; and the legislator asks for one glass of red wine – specifically, Menage a Trois.…

  Marian

  February 11, 2014

  Assisted Living

  92-year-olds, Adventures in Hospitality, assisted living, companions, Country Comforts, Country Comforts Assisted Living, friends, God’s love, hospitality, joy, kindness, life calling, life challenges, life changes, life stages, listening for God, love your neighbor, nonagenarian, reflections, spirituality, stage in life, talking with God, three nonagenarians

• My Thoughts on Last Weekend’s Big Event

  Not the Super Bowl – Church! Last week, as I was planning music for church, I read the lectionary readings for Sunday, as I usually do. I was happy to see that two of the three readings were among my favorites. The Old Testament reading was Micah 6:1-8, which ends with the well-known verse: What…

  Marian

  February 4, 2014

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

  Beatitudes, Blessed are the merciful, Blessed are the poor in spirit, emptying the ocean, fairness, God’s love, how little I understand, humble, humility, kindness, know we are Christians by our love, life challenges, Lord I Want to Be a Christian, love your neighbor, Messiah Church, Micah, Pastor Jeff, plastic bucket, reflections, spirituality, St. Augustine, The Beatitudes, walk humbly with your God

• I can’t put it off any longer

  It’s time. I added it to my to-do list on January 1, 2014. It’s well past time to pull out the 13 bulging folders from the file drawer, the folders labeled “January 2013” through “December 2013” and “Misc. Tax Info.” I haven’t clicked on the QuickBooks icon on my desktop since last February, when I…

  Marian

  January 28, 2014

  Goals, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  accounting, Chasing Joy, Edward Hays, getting organized, goals, ironing shirts, life challenges, Mark Twain, Pablo Picasso, Presbyterian Student Center, procrastinating, procrastination, put off until tomorrow, putting it off, QuickBooks, reflections, reward, the day after tomorrow, to-do list, University of Chicago

• Abbey, Mim & Me – Our Special Words for 2014

  January is a time every year that I start thinking about how I want this year to be different from previous years. Sometimes I make New Year resolutions. Some years I formulate specific goals. Every year I come up with an immediate to-do list. At a minimum I need to plan how I’m going to…

  Marian

  January 7, 2014

  Book Recommendations, Celebrations, Goals, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, New Year

  Abbey, change in my life, daily devotions, Debbie Macomber, enough, God’s love, joy, Let the year begin, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, New Year Resolutions, One Perfect Word, play, reflections, spirituality, talking with God, to-do lists

• Another Year-End Conversation with Abbey

  Abbey had been sitting on the floor next to the patio door, staring out at the pond for a long time. It was snowing again. Big flakes were drifting down, adding to the eight inches already on the ground. I wondered if she was as tired of the snow as I was. I called to…

  Marian

  December 31, 2013

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

  Abbey, friends, gay marriage, gift of love, God’s love, Happy New Year, kindness, life challenges, life changes, love your neighbor, loving each other, New Year, New Year’s Day, Piper, polarization, political polarization, politics, reflections, spirituality, Tucker, understanding each other

• 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