I had washed all the dishes that don’t fit into the dishwasher, vacuumed, and even had wiped down the stove underneath the burner grates. But when two of my guests, a small collection of the women pastors in the area, walked through the front door of my home, I realized one flaw in my plan of … [Read more…]
The first time it rained after I moved to Texas, I remember jumping out of my bed in the early morning, clambering to find the source of what I presumed was a leak. The but the heavy drip that was coming off the eaves of the house was no leak, but just the natural flow … [Read more…]
There’s a little patch of grass on the southwest corner of the church property, just south of a row of Bradford pear trees, but just north of the ravine. It’s mostly an innocuous piece of the property, certainly not as visited as the sanctuary, or as quaint as the gazebo, or as functional as the … [Read more…]
I wrote this last summer, on a note on my cell phone, after a particularly pleasant youth outing, and spent some time editing it this week. In the midst of the pandemic, I’m trying to remember what “together” feels like. God, you told your people all the time to remember. So at this moment help … [Read more…]
I didn’t want to, but I made myself watch it a few weeks ago. The video showing the attack and murder of Ahmaud Arbery. It shows two white men driving a pickup truck stopped and waiting for Arbery, a young black man who was reportedly out on a morning jog. Then Arbery is attacked. And … [Read more…]
I had such high hopes at the start of this quarantine. I was going to write prolifically and create and take advantage of this isolation that has been thrust upon us. I was going to clean and organize and sort. Do all the things! And then I realized how heavy this pandemic had hit me, … [Read more…]
As we enter uncharted territory in the weeks to come regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, I am particularly concerned for our children and teens. Regardless of how everything plays out, this is a traumatic time for all of us with schools being closed, gatherings suspended, and work interrupted. Our routines are shattered. While we as adults … [Read more…]
I dropped off four women in the pouring rain today. Under an awning of a darkened building downtown. Memphis and some cruel trick of the blues. Without home, but not without shelter. For one night, anyway. Just a few minutes before we were in the safety of my car. Hearing one woman question the providence … [Read more…]
Just for fun, I started calculating some of the statistics I’ve compiled over the past four years. Maybe it’s the sports writer in me coming out. It’s fun to celebrate, but it’s also important to recognize the cost and sacrifice of an achievement. Every good thing we accomplish in this life comes with some obvious … [Read more…]
I’ve been joking that I’m not sure if I’m depressed, bored, or exhausted. I don’t know the exact diagnosis, except to call it a malaise of mind, body, and spirit. (Don’t worry, I have a doctor’s appointment next week for a full workup just in case it’s physiological.) Up until the last week, I’ve kept … [Read more…]