Peace and a Pandemic: Lessons Learned in 2020

Was it really 5 years ago when the world stopped? We learned so much during our time of isolation. Unfortunately, I think we’ve already forgotten many of those lessons. We learned to make peace with peace. Empty streets and the emptying of public spaces made the whole world quieter. We learned to be ok with …

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There’s Still Time

Be still, and know that I am God;    I will be exalted among the nations,    I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us... Psalm 46: 10-11 Email after email is screaming at me: There’s still time to buy this!!! Last-minute gifts still available. Few things provide a sense of calm this time of year as the knowledge that you are done …

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Savoring the Season

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation. Psalm 62:1 Until just recently, porch pumpkins and Christmas cheer coexisted on our front porch. Unlike most of my neighbors and friends, I do not rush into the Christmas season. I like to ease into the idea, not unlike savoring the last of the Thanksgiving stuffing and gravy. This is how I’ve always done things, so this pause didn’t really strike …

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Forever Changed

They are cutting down the tree. The angry sound of a chainsaw makes me think of enraged wasps. As exhaust fumes seep in around doors and windows, the sound – not really the sound, but the knowledge of what the sound means – gnaws at my bones. This machine is not just ripping the tree away, but our peace. The peace it steals is the peace that a mature tree brings to a space. Sadly for this majestic, leafy tree, it was planted in exactly the wrong spot and was tearing up neighboring walls and garage floors. The landlord said it had to go even as he lamented the need for more trees in …

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As Spring Unfurls

California typically rushes through spring in its frantic dash to summer. Bulbs bloom in February and are gone. Trees bloom and leaf at the same time. If you want to see wildflowers, you better not blink.This year, however, is very different. For the first time in many years, a cool wet spring is unfurling slowly.Buds form and pause, teasing us with what is to come. Wildflowers paint the landscape with wide brushstrokes of yellow, orange, purple. Bulbs – some of them …

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