Wednesday, December 23, 2020 | Reflections
Throughout history, we read about unlikely people who rise to power and use their influence to divide and conquer. They exploit their authority as a way to oppress others. Love is not a factor in their power structure. Mary and everyone she knew had heard stories...
Tuesday, December 22, 2020 | Reflections
We spend Advent waiting for Jesus, but Elizabeth and Zechariah spent a good portion of the first Advent waiting on two babies—John and Jesus. We wait alongside them in today’s lesson from Luke. Despite the strange turn life had taken in their family and the world...
Monday, December 21, 2020 | Message from Bishop Thompson, Reflections
In my mind I’ve been playing over and over again the Christmas hymn, “In the Bleak Midwinter.” [1] The first stanza: In the bleak mid-winterFrosty wind made moan;Earth stood hard as iron,Water like a stone;Snow had fallen, snow on snow,In the bleak...
Monday, December 21, 2020 | Reflections
They were sitting across from my table at the local library. “Look at her, Mommy! Where are her hands?” The utterly mortified mom stared at her five-year-old daughter. I wheeled over to them and explained, “God created me this way, and I can do a lot ….(View...
Sunday, December 20, 2020 | Reflections
Last December, I helped lead a retreat. However, the center where we were staying wasn’t accessible for electric wheelchairs, which made things a little complicated. My co-leader’s teenage daughter assisted me with my personal needs. She was kind—but ….(View...
Saturday, December 19, 2020 | Reflections
Last year my mom received a thirty-day challenge from a Facebook friend: Make a gratitude post every day. Mom started doing it immediately. What she intended to be a seasonal experience has become a daily exercise. She is grateful for all the adults who...
Friday, December 18, 2020 | Reflections
A rolling cart full of cleaning supplies and dirty dishes blocked the hallway between the bathroom and the front of the restaurant. As I worked my way around it, my purse got caught and CRASH. There was a mess everywhere. “Well, that’ll cost you about $….(View...
Thursday, December 17, 2020 | Reflections
From the Archives: June 29, 1956Esther is a curious book to have a place in the Bible. The name of God does not occur in it; neither is there any mention of prayer. It is an entirely secular romantic tale celebrating the deliverance of the J….(View this reading...
Wednesday, December 16, 2020 | Reflections
I raced home to avoid being drenched by an oncoming rainstorm. On the way, I ran through some mud that ended up embedded in my wheelchair tires. I wasn’t strong enough to clean it out of the treads of my tires or the pile of the carpet…..(View this reading and...
Tuesday, December 15, 2020 | Reflections
Even though I loved decorating my face with makeup as a small girl, my little arm wasn’t steady enough for details. Lipstick and blush smeared, and my eyeshadow dusted everything. Childish joy eventually became teenage and young adult frustration. Through painting and...
Monday, December 14, 2020 | Reflections
In my small town, there are no sidewalks on most of the main streets. I recently had a near-death experience while attempting to cross a busy intersection with no crosswalk or stoplight. I began to go forward when there seemed to be a break in the traffic. Suddenly a...
Sunday, December 13, 2020 | Reflections
As I was getting a sponge from under the kitchen sink to clean my painting pallet, the wheelchair actuator stopped working. That meant that my chair would no longer rise up or down. I was stuck. Mom was out, and I was home alone. There was nothing to do...
Saturday, December 12, 2020 | Reflections
A friend told me about a recent conversation with her son: “Mom, how come Carrie doesn’t have to do the dishes, and I do?” My friend answered, “Because Carrie is five, and you are eight. She’s beginning to have her household tasks. When she sees you doing your chores,...
Friday, December 11, 2020 | Reflections
When my sister Becca was thirteen, she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, which can cause chronic gastrointestinal issues. Despite her limitations and chronic physical pain, she graduated from college and majored in music. Becca went on to adopt six very active and...
Thursday, December 10, 2020 | Reflections
From the Archives: May 2, 1956I was in New York City for a Lenten writing assignment. One day, after lunch, I went for a long walk in Central Park. At length, I rested on a bench and shared my lunch with some pigeons. All aroun….(View this reading and more...
