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Last week, on one of those evenings when it was just too muggy to do much of anything outside, my son asked to have a family art night. We all love to make stuff, but my son, Amos, is the only one among us who has any drawing skills. So, to make it m…
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I recently found myself sitting with friends around a firepit for the first time this season, and I was captivated by the simplicity of the moment. Faces illuminated with joy. Laughter came from every direction as people reconnected and caught up. Th…
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I’ve been thinking a lot about a podcast I listened to this past week, The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos. It was a re-aired episode from earlier in the year and a topic that often comes up in conversation with friends. This episode features yo…
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“Be like Locust Street, always working on yourself.” That was the text to the first Quad Cities-themed meme I saw after moving here. Surely it can’t be THAT bad, I thought. Two years in, maybe there is some truth in that meme. Just this week, as I…
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This week I celebrated 14 years of teaching Jazzercise. Jazzercise is a dance-based fitness program that has been around since the 1960s. It’s evolved from classic jazz dance aerobics into a full body fitness program. As an instructor, my role is to…
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Just over three weeks ago, a rather intriguing news alert came across my phone. The headline read: “For the first time in its 84-year history, the New York Times Magazine has printed an unsolvable crossword puzzle.” I’m not quite sure that was worthy…
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Scripture guides us to “be still” (Psalm 46:10) and trust. This is not an easy task and often takes some self-convincing when life throws us a curveball. Outside of our everyday anxieties and worries, there are moments in life when our heart feels he…
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In the last few weeks, the tower standing high above the sanctuary here at St. Paul has looked different. Because of a failing in the material of the fascia (the outside “skin” of the tower) we need to replace the exterior. This enormous project beco…
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In February, right around the time that Lent started, I added a new habit to my nightly routine. I was scrolling on TikTok when I came across this idea of a “glimmer.” A glimmer is the opposite of a trigger. It’s a little moment that puts a smile on…
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My garden looks bare. It is so bare that it is slightly depressing. What ended last season as a lush and beautiful area is now scraggly; the proportions are all completely off. Why? Because I just split up the plants. The hostas. My family spent th…
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I ‘ve spent a lot of time walking down memory lane recently. As many of you know, this is the second time I’ve called Iowa home, the first being during my years at Wartburg College. Those memories are resurfacing and one in particular has stayed with…
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There are all sorts of places we might call home — apartments, houses, townhomes, RVs. And each home is, of course, unique to those who live there. Just think about the variety of houses you’ve spent time in. Some are organized, while others are a bi…