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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…
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I recently had my blood drawn in preparation for my annual physical. I used to be nervous about the poke, but now I’m less anxious about being punctured and more frantic about the test results. I think as we age things can go haywire, causing me to b…
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When I was in middle school, I got a TV in my room. Of course, since I was born in the 1900s, a TV in your room didn’t mean much if you didn’t have cable or a VCR (neither of which I had). Some nights, when the clouds were few and the wind was jus…
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Almost 20 years ago, the poet Mary Oliver wrote this poem, called Iraq. I want to sing a song for a body I saw crumpled and without a name but clearly someone young who had not yet lived his life and never would. How shall I do this? What kind of…
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Most Monday mornings when I get into the office, one of the first things I do to start my week is make a to-do list. I think about the tasks I need to get done, or I try to map out what my week might look like (knowing full well that my best-laid pla…
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Last Tuesday morning began with a small moment that has stayed with me. I was out running on the Duck Creek path, completely in my own head — thinking about upcoming rehearsals and performances, entertaining the illusion that I resembled Giselle rath…
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“I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless, ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness. Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if thou abide with me.” -verse four from “Abide with Me” by Henry Francis Lyte A Scottish cle…
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Like many of us, I’ve found a great escape and joy in watching the Winter Olympics. From the subtle skill of the curlers to the fierce bravery of the downhill skiers, I cannot get enough of watching the athletes do their thing—not just as individuals…