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A few weeks ago, I hopped in my car at the end of a full day, turned out of the church parking lot, and headed north on Brady Street to make my way home. Most days, I’m in no particular hurry. I’ve always enjoyed those few evening moments in the car…
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I heard a pastor once boasting that the congregation he served had the world’s most uncomfortable pews. I’d never sat on the wooden benches in that sanctuary, but supposedly they were not just cushionless and hard. They were squeezed close together s…
4
I happen to enjoy feeling secure. The last thing I do before falling into bed every night is check that the door on our attached garage is closed. Doors with locks are a great invention. So are seatbelts and computer passwords and childproof caps and…
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One of my fondest childhood memories with my Nana is going to Hardee’s for apple cinnamon raisin biscuits every Wednesday morning. After we finished our breakfast, seated at the high top table by the window, we would drive across the parking lot to t…
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Last weekend St. Paul made room in its gathering spaces for an annual garden share. All shapes, sizes, and colors of food were carried in from the church’s community garden. Box-loads were brought in from personal gardens, too. Even if fresh fruits a…
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A little less than a month ago, a pregnant, endangered whale captured international attention. The mother orca is part of a pod being observed by the Center for Whale Research near San Juan Island, just northwest of Seattle. The organization works to…
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If someone were to ask me to tell them about grace, I’d probably try to explain it. I might talk about love that is unearned and unexpected. Or maybe I’d borrow from the apostle Paul who wrote how grace is unearned, a pure gift of love. Or I’d quote…
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When my two grown kids surprised me with a visit home last weekend, we got in a game of tennis. It was a blast. Depending on which of the four of us you ask about the game, however, four different perspectives will emerge. Mom’s shots were awesome. O…
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We are living in ordinary times – at least according to the church. What I mean to say is that the church goes through seasons just like the natural world. The big four church seasons are Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter. But now, from May 27 unti…
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Most of us, I would imagine, are creatures of habit. We have our usual morning routines. Or our typical bedtime sequence of events that tells our brains it’s time to sleep. Or we might drive the exact same route to and from work each day. While varie…
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Along with heat and humidity, the season of summer offers predictable sounds: rolling thunder, occasional fireworks, and outdoor concerts. One of the loudest sounds of summer comes from the buzzing cicadas. It is a high-pitched, electrical song that…
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It’s late in the night on the Fourth of July as I write this. My beloved neighborhood is fully embracing “the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,” lyric of our national anthem. It’s so very loud. Thankfully, the rest of my family is sleepi…