see
In sixteen days it will be one year since our humming aircraft coasted at cruising altitude in the perfect blueness above. Then a thick down comforter of clouds appeared below as the plane gradually descended. Soon the blanket was no longer below us, but we were wrapped in it, with all of its puffy turbulence. Then we broke free from its embrace, and emerged on the other side. It was gray. Dismal. No semblance of sun or blue or clear or bright. Just overcast shadows dancing against a neutral canvas, without hue. “They don’t know!” I thought to myself, of the ants scurrying around...
discerning voices
I’ve come to realize something about myself: Certain voices in the church congregation actually help me to worship better. Take the guy at the back who sings bass, for example. The deep resonance of his voice strikes a chord and the resulting reverberations enhance my appreciation for the hymn being sung. Or the group of girls in the front right corner who beautifully bridge into higher harmonies. Glorious. I find myself trying to block out the collective voice, just to zero in on a select few that give me goosebumps and make me praise God for the gift of music. This can be...
top 13 posts on the blog in ’13
Number 1, by a landslide .. An Open Letter to Grief 2nd place: Defining Home, the opening post of the series I wrote on Defining Home in 31 Days And Number 3 for 2013 was ... Compared to Her - An Interview with Author Sophie DeWitt With the exception of #8 and #11, the remainder of the 13 most-viewed posts for 2013 come from the Defining Home series: 4. My Personal Definition 5. Heading Home 6. In Which I Deviate from the Plan 7. When...
mandela
As I type this, a live broadcast of the memorial service for Nelson Mandela is streaming through my laptop speakers. My screen has been flooded and inundated with tributes, quotes, images, broadcasts and expressed emotions paying tribute to a man used by God to change the course of a nation. Here are a few links to comments and reflections from personal friends, both white South Africans who acknowledge the providence of God in the life and impact of Nelson Mandela: First, a word from our pastor in Cape Town: The Providence of God in the Life of Nelson Mandela Here is Bronwyn Lea's...
what’s on your christmas list?
A couple of weeks ago, my sister asked my kids, "What's on your Christmas list?" They looked at each other blankly before asking, "What's a Christmas list?" At the risk of sounding prideful, I was relieved and grateful that they had made it to ages 6, 8 and 11 without knowing about Christmas lists. I should clarify, however, that this is their first Christmas living in America. That definitely has something to do with it. Of course, as soon as they learned what a Christmas list is, they wasted no time heaping wishes, desires and wants to their newly discovered 'lists.' The mindset of...
defining hope
"You are hardwired for hope. You don't live by instinct. Every decision you make is fueled by and motivated by hope. Your happiest moments are about hope fulfilled, and your saddest moments are about hope dashed. You're always hoping. ... If Isaiah 59 is all about hope, we need to define it. There are four important elements. First: hope is an object and an expectation. You're hoping in something and asking that something to deliver. Second: the doorway to hope is hopelessness. The only way you will ever find true hope is to give up on all your false hopes. Third: hope, to be...
south africa – a photographic tribute
Inspired by a Travelstart blog post of 50 Photos of Cape Town that will make you want to live in the Mother City, I offer this photographic tribute to the country that has captured my heart -- a nation mourning the loss of a man used by God to impact not only South Africa, but history and the world in profound, countless and immeasurable ways. Robben Island Protea - South African National flower...
sister, let me be your servant
Why do so many of us find it so hard to let people serve us? Is it because we like to protect our independence? Do we like to look like we have it all together, that we don't need charity? Has our pride built a wall that blocks people from coming in? You know how it goes. You love to make meals for people who are sick, grieving, or have just welcomed a new baby. You don't mind offering rides to people who don't have transportation. You'll help out at the school when they ask for volunteers, and you're serving in church every Sunday. But as soon as the tables are turned, and people...
free advent resources
"What John the Baptist did for Israel, Advent can do for us. Don’t let Christmas find you unprepared. I mean spiritually unprepared." These are the words of John Piper in his free devotional, 'Good News of Great Joy: Daily Readings for Advent.' I've been reading the devotionals aloud with my kids each morning, and, true to Piper, the words and challenges do not disappoint. To download your own free copy, click here: http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/books/good-news-of-great-joy *** Piper's wife, Noel, has written a wonderful book that addresses traditions of all seasons,...
christmas traditions
Traditions. We all have them, especially during the holidays. We decorate trees, we bake cookies, we play Secret Santa, we stuff stockings, we glaze hams. All in the spirit of Christmas. But what do any of these traditions really have to do with true meaning of Christmas? In recent years, I’ve been convicted by just how much I rely on my childhood traditions to enable me to truly enjoy the Christmas season. When I was 21, I moved from the dreamy white Christmases of West Michigan to experience my first holiday season in Cape Town, South Africa. Like a snowball to the face was the...
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