Calming God,

you who made all creation

you who swept through the darkness and created light

you who knit us together in the darkness of our mothers’ wombs

Breathe your Spirit over us now

Calm the storms within us and around us

Bring light into the darkest shadows of days

and of our hearts

You, who created all,

Create in us a clean heart

that beats for you

that lives for you

that clings to you.

Calm us O God and steady us

heart, mind, body and soul

and renew us

that your glory may shine through us.

Amen

God of all, who creates, sustains, and guides us forward,

In the craziness of life and the business of our days, may you slow our steps and our minds that we may feel your grace enfold us.

May you whisper sweet comforts into the craziness that surround us that we may know your peace in the depths of our souls.

May we pause and feel your spirit.

May we breathe and know your love.

May we be yours, now and always.

Amen

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

After a few ‘different’ years, I forgot about May! I forgot about the crazy busyness of the whole month. I forgot what a hectic hot mess the whole month this—the long days, the nonstop schedule, the running around that is required…

O God of all,

As we begin this Lent in the midst of the unknown,

as we walk this path towards the cross and Easter morning,

help to feel that you are walking with us,

and us with you.

The story of Christ is not all rainbows.

There was darkness.

There was hurt.

There was pain.

Our world is sure not all rainbows right now.

There is darkness.

There is hurt.

There is pain.

Let us walk beside one another.

Let us lean into the faith of all those who walked the dark and hurting paths before us.

Give us light in the darkness, comfort in the hurt, and healing in the pain.

Amen

It feels like one more hit.

The threat of war!

We are just starting to see a return to a new normal after almost 2 years of worldwide pandemic, and now this.

More unknown.

More worry.

More lack of control.

More uncertainty.

More economic worry.

More death in the world.

It all seems like so much. A moment to breath would be delightful but the hits keep coming.

If you are like me, you might be wondering, ‘How much more can we take?’ I keep asking myself, ‘how much more can this world endure? When will the hits stop coming?’ There seems to be no end in sight, no release from the worry and concern. No moments to breathe.

When the hits keep coming, there is nothing left to do but cling to God—Cling to the one who is over all, in all and through all. A God who does not leave us or forsake us, even as we face more dark days of unknowing ahead. Cling to hope. Cling to grace. Cling to God.

What else can we do?

Lord, in your mercy,

may the days come in which we are able to beat our swords into plowshares

and our spears into pruning hooks.

In your peace, may the day come rapidly when nation will not fling bombs against nation.

May we step toward a world in which there shall be war no more!

Until that day comes, spread your arms around those who are suffering the pains of war.

Enfold those for whom the fear and threat of war all around them,

Protect those who are trying to live their lives in turbulent places,

who are being threatened by powers outside of their control,

and who are facing the reality of death for no reason other than where they live.

May your Spirit descend on this world like a rushing wind.

May you move the hearts of leaders, nations, communities, and peoples to move towards peace and life.

Holy God, hasten the day when your peace reigns for all!

Amen

Things you learn about yourself.

I received the pictures today. They were great, despite my behavior (y’all, I am not kidding, I was AWEFUL!)

As I went through the gallery I was reminded of a simple truth, God created us all beautifully and perfectly.

This is a truth I know when I look at all the people that I love. It is a truth that I tell my daughters too often to count. But it is truth that I struggle to remember when it comes to myself. Knowing that we are beautifully and perfectly made by God’s own hand and accepting it are two different things.

I hope that if I ever have to do a photo shoot again, that I will enter it without any worry or concern. I hope that I will remember how perfectly God made me, no matter my weight or gray hair, no matter the wrinkles or sunspots. I hope that I will remember the beauty with which God created me and enter with pure joy in the experience (as I am sure the photographer hopes too). I hope that I learn to settle into myself more completely and accept myself more fully as the beautiful and perfectly made child of God that I am!

The journey is not easy but let us find joy on the path!

These past few months have been filled with inconsistent schedules in my household.

We have not known from week to week or sometimes day to day what our schedules would look like.

This inconsistency and unknowing has, in turn, filled me with great unease.

School schedules have been up in the air because of weather and the rising number of Covid cases.

My husband’s work schedule has been erratic to say the least for the same reasons and more.

I cannot reliably set a schedule a week ahead of time—thought of scheduling a month ahead seems just absurd at this point!

I am a person who loves some order—some consistency. Predictability is my friend.

But the last few years have been a deep dive lesson in learning to live without such luxuries as consistency and predictability.

And for me, that is not easy.

I am fatigued from having to wake each day and face the unknown.

Who will be in the house today? How many lunches need to be ready for school? for home? Which after school activities are actually happening this week? Which got cancelled? Who is available to drive my child? Who is quarantined this week?

I miss the rhythm of ‘normal times’. I miss the stability of consistency. I miss the certainty of knowing what each week should look like. I loved the pattern to the week, the month, the years.

It can feel like there is nothing to ground me.

But I must remember that it is God who grounds us.

It is God who is consistent.

Even in the midst of the unknown, God holds us close.

Even in the midst of changing schedules, God is unchanging.

Hopefully that reminder will help me (and you) face the uncertainty that comes tomorrow and the inconsistency that will wash over us again and again as we walk through these uncertain times!

do give thanks for all the stability that I have been given and I give thanks for a God who stands with me in the crazy—

a God who loves me despite my uncertainty and chaos—

a God who forgives me when I mess up—

a God who still leads even if I don’t always follow as fast I should—

a God who is steady, compassionate, and gracious, even when I am none of those things.

In the midst of these crazy times, when the world overwhelms, and the uncertainty never wanes, I am glad to have God to cling too.

Now, to work towards being a fraction as loving, forgiving and compassionate with myself as God is!

Hang in the crazy friends, God has us!

Holy God, each new day we face feels the same during these times.

Each new day seems daunting and long. Each new seemed filled with wrong answers and wrong choses.

In our best moments, O God, we remember your hope and your guidance,

your promises and your joy.

Help us to wake each day with these truths in our hearts and minds,

that we may bravely face each new day with hope and love.

May we seek and follow your will for us. May we rest in you when it all seems too much. May we pause in the midst of the daunting and long, and take in your grace.

Each new day, may we rest our mindset, that we may look for you in the midst of all that is around us.

May we walk into each new day, restored and hope-filled, to move forward as best we can

and may we trust that ‘as best we can’ is enough this day!

Amen

The weather here has been all over the place. We have sunshine and temperatures in the fifties one day. The next, we have snow and 20-degree weather. You never know what you will get. Besides making it hard to know how to dress in the morning, it also reminds us that nothing is permanent. Cold weather fades to sunshine. Snow melts to green grass. And sunshine can wilt to snow again.

There is a flow…

Let it flow!

The community that I live in has been hit hard by loss these last few weeks.

From young to old, the community has lost member after member…to illness, to age, to needless violence.

The overall weight of loss and pain has been heavy…

As we put the finishing touches on our Christmas celebrations, may we pause to enjoy the moment.

May we enjoy the giggles, snuggles, and mess of the moment. May the sounds of the holidays bring joy and may we live in each moment.

May we remember those who are hurting this season, those who are sick, grieving, lonely or lost. Those whose hearts hurt during the holidays and who suffer, may they find some measure of joy and peace.

May you light shine through the chaos and may all our children feel the love and light of your grace.

Amen

God of comfort and peace, the storms came through our lands and damage was widespread. Communities were shattered. Families were broken. Lives were lost….

It has been busy around here this week.

Friday my youngest preformed at a downtown Christmas event. Sunday the oldest matched in the Christmas parade. Monday the youngest preformed the in the school play. Tuesday the oldest had her Christmas band concert. All of this in the midst of my husband’s work schedule picking up and him working 12 hour shifts. All while decorating the house and being in a festive spirit for the kids so that Christmas can keep its joy and magic.

Most people are experiencing some measure of this.

College kids are rushing to finish up their terms before heading home for a break. Highschoolers are awaiting finals and their own performances. Parents with little kids are rushing to get it all done before Christmas sneaks up on them. Older adults are busy working schedules out and sending gifts.

Being a grown up at Christmas time has all kinds of difficulties.

But the Advent wreath word for this week is “Joy”. Perfect timing. In the midst of the craziness, it calls me back to remember that there is great joy in the season. The beauty of the lights hung throughout town. The wonder on the face of children when Santa or the elf appear. The beauty of home glowing from the Christmas tree. The love you can feel as your children prepare and plan their Christmas giving.

Joy exists all around, if we just slow down enough to see it.

May deep joy find you this week!