One of my favorite Christmas carols is Once in Royal David’s City. Whenever the music begins and I hear the soprano solo during the first verse, I get overwhelmed by the sacredness that is Christmas. Every time I sing this song, it evokes my memories…
Lectio Divina (“divine reading”) is an ancient Christian practice of contemplative prayer. There are four steps to Lectio Divina: reading the Scripture (lectio), meditating on the words (meditatio), responding to the reading (oratio), and resting in…
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Growing up in Oklahoma, we never lived close to family. The closest were my grandparents in southwestern Minnesota. My mom was in charge of our church’s music program, so Christmas almost always meant worshiping at our church and settling in at home…
Of all of the senses that God has given me, I feel the ability to hear is the most precious. The sound of oncoming traffic protects me on my daily walks. The sound of the heat coming on in my home reminds me that I will be comfortable and warm on thi…
But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. What could Mary have been feeling that first Christmas day so long ago? This short verse from Luke tells us she treasured and pondered after the shepherds had blustered into the stabl…
I have been on several mission trips in recent years. Each evening we gather as a group to reflect on the day’s activities. Why a time for reflection? We are in an unfamiliar area, with people we may not know, doing things we didn’t know we could do….
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I peered anxiously into the massive sanctuary and scanned the rapidly filling pews. Like a new college student choosing their seating assignment in class, I pondered the pros and cons of choosing one far, far in the back. I wasn’t always this hesitan…
Hospitality. When we think of hospitality this season we might think of an invitation to a friend’s home. We arrive to see candles in the window and receive a warm hug at the door. Everything is festive: trees are decorated with sparkly, white lights…
Watching falling snow at night in the street lights is one of my favorite things about this time of year. It brings a certain peace and serenity to the hustle and bustle surrounding the holiday season. We travel through uncertain weather to connect w…
“Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” -Luke 2:19 What a delightful image for Advent. A time of new beginnings. As the darkness of winter closes in around us, I reflect on this simple passage. I treasure many of the words sp…
This Advent season we are reminded in Luke 2:19 that “Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” As I ponder my life of faith, I recall the churches where my faith was formed: Presbyterian, Methodist, Catholic, and now Lutheran….
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Little Jimmy Siokos walked into a movie theater with his dad when he was 5 years old. The year was 1977 and they were there to see the first Star Wars movie. Today, 38 years later, the countdown board in Mr. Siokos’ classroom at Sudlow Intermediate S…