This blog was originally written in March 2020 just as the pandemic was arriving in America. A year later I have adapted it because it still fits! Now, as I try to process this past year it feels surreal, yet God is not surprised. We might be wondering how this crisis could happen, but he … Continue reading Before and After
Dis-appointment
We call something that happens at an appointed time an appointment. We put it on our calendar and we plan our lives around it. Sometimes our calendars get so filled up with our appointed times we have little room for things that are not appointed. Our culture is okay with this because we all live … Continue reading Dis-appointment
Batten Down the Hatches
Prepare for a storm. Get ready. Equip yourself for trouble. The old 18th century nautical phrase, batten down the hatches, was coined when sailors, literally nailed battens (wooden rods) over tarps to prevent water from flooding into the hatch of a ship during a storm. It was a preventative measure to keep the ship from … Continue reading Batten Down the Hatches
And the Rain Came
We went to Asia in the dry season. Cold once the sun went down, and delightfully sunny and warm during the day, and because it is the dry season, there wasn’t a cloud in sight. Layering was the key to being comfortable temperature wise, but one morning we woke to an overcast sky. The sun … Continue reading And the Rain Came
Every Tribe and Tongue
One of the things I most love in my travels is worshiping God with others who are different from me. The cultures, the languages, the music, it is all so very unusual and rings distinctively in my ears. The differences cause me to step out of my comfort zone and they wake me up … Continue reading Every Tribe and Tongue
Badge of Honor
I am a planner. When I travel, my planning skill manifests in arriving at the airport extra early. Whereas Bill would slide in on two wheels 20 minutes before take-off, I want to be there an hour before the two hours they recommend, “just in case.” When I lead trips for my work we … Continue reading Badge of Honor
Follow Me
I went to a party this weekend. It was a gathering of family I hadn’t met yet. Have you ever had those kinds of encounters, where you meet people and you know you belong together? It just feels as if you were cut from the same cloth. It happened like that at a celebration of … Continue reading Follow Me
The Greatest of These…
In my life, I have witnessed all the different kinds of love. Romantic love. Brotherly love. Self-love. In Greek, there are many words for love because they have a name for each kind. All of them are types of human love. I have also witnessed supernatural love. It is the kind that can only come … Continue reading The Greatest of These…
Mary Frances Early
My Aunt Betty had a best friend named Mary Frances. She was spoken of at every family gathering as if she was sitting in the room. We met many times because often she was at a concert we attended or at Betty’s house when we were there. Betty told us all about Mary Frances, and … Continue reading Mary Frances Early
Dear Healthcare Provider (Guest Blog)
Recently, I wrote a blog about Mom's hospital stay. I wrote it from the perspective of a family caregiver and addressed it directly to the hospital. Now my sister Melinda, a nurse practitioner, has written a guest blog from the perspective of a healthcare provider to Healthcare Provider. She makes important points for all those … Continue reading Dear Healthcare Provider (Guest Blog)
Michelle's Mosaic 