A tiny taste of Lent through the Little Things, to whet your appetite.
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Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35), and as Christians, we take it to heart. We instill the value in our kids, especially at Christmastime when messages of greed bombard us. And we pride ourselves in our cheerful and generous giving.
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Pumpkins on the front porch are rotting. Thanksgiving leftovers are almost gone. It’s time to crawl into the storage closet under the stairs and bring out our Christmas decorations. As is our annual habit, we replace our normal decor with festive trimmings.
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It was mid-December. We were all waiting. But we weren't waiting like the rest of the world.
In homes, they waited for Christmas. Young children counted the days with their advent chains and calendars, anticipating that wonderful morning when they would tear the paper, fling the boxes, and see their wishes come true.
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As I walk through the few remaining rows of Christmas trees, I attempt to sort out my feelings. Growing up, there were hundreds of acres of trees. These few are all that remain. I should feel something, I tell myself. While a little part of me wants to cry, the emotion that’s bubbling up instead is joy.
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A sneak peek at “semi-retirement,” while revisiting a favorite Thanksgiving post.
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A week ago—six days before my hip surgery, while running errands and getting as many ducks lined up as possible, I called my husband Tom and said, “I think we should buy a recliner.”
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Soon, I’ll be joining the loons on our southward migration for the winter. It’s been a good summer. I’ve learned a few things in this grand experiment that I can take with me on my future journeys back and forth.
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I turned 60 this past year, and I admit I have qualms about joining the ranks of older persons. Is my aging body a sign of weakness? Will others look at me and assume I’m incapable? If I let my hair go gray, will others see me as irrelevant?
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Fear can be a good thing. It protects from danger, preserves life in the face of enemies, and keeps offspring safe from harm. While wild animals fear humans, it’s common sense for humans to fear wild animals as well.
Wildlife is just that…wild life. Our role is to respect, protect, and care for the creatures we share this earth with.
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On our trip, we had many wildlife sightings including whales, otters, sea stars (a.k.a. starfish), moose, and more. Then, when we arrived home last Sunday, we had even more wildlife surprises.
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“How did we get so lucky?” I asked my husband, as we took in the view. From the porch of our Minnesota cabin, “our lake” looked stunningly blue through the white birch and pine trees.
Our cabin on the lake was an unexpected dream come true at the end of last summer. And although it’s already given us many happy moments, and promises years of delight in the future, it hasn’t come without some pain and struggle.
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Here in southwest Michigan, Spring is springing! She’s donned her redbud trees with purple jewels (I wonder why they aren’t called Purplebuds?). My favorite tree of all–the dogwood–holds its blossoms in tight little fists, ready at any moment to open that door, throw open its hands with pink and white whisps and yell, “Surprise! I’m here!”
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How was your week? Here's a rundown of mine, some recommended memoirs, and a story about work and rest.
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(An excerpt from LENT through the LITTLE THINGS by Linda Hanstra)
The older I get, the more I find myself searching for things.
“Where did I put that jacket?”
“Why aren’t my keys in my purse?”
And the most common: “What happened to my phone?”
I now have a solution!
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How do you handle your big milestone birthdays? Are they days to be concealed or celebrated? As I approached another “big one”, an unexpected surprise on the shores of Lake Michigan along with childhood memories, brought inspiration and peace.
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While I had some ideas for how I’d spend my time in retirement, I looked forward to a blank slate. I figured once my days were free, I could explore the endless possibilities and decide which ones to pursue.
Unbeknownst to me, God had already drawn up some big plans and I was about to receive a message on that empty slate.
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