The last time I saw my brother alive was 18 years ago this week.
The refining fire of August
death
Washed in the weight of grief
Platitudes are crushed by desperation. Fundraisers and emergency supplies are not enough when she cannot be found and even when she is.
This is a tourniquet
God is giving me, giving all of us, the opportunity to confidently and calmly tell them we have what will save your life in the end. There is a way this is supposed to work. There is a way to more than just survive.
The skeletons in my closet, er I mean, my yard
We are bare and barren and nothing apart from the creation, covering and breath of God. We are dry bones stuck awkwardly together with the angles not quite matching up. There is no life without his command to come alive.
Rattling my brains
The Word can change us from the inside out, if we are only willing.
Perfect kindling
The dying effort still offers life—and what it produces easily ignites a fire.
Tangible brokenness
You don’t want to see it. Trust me on this one. The gruesome image of my husband’s ankle split wide apart—bone exposed—taken by an audacious ER nurse who couldn’t believe his eyes is unsettling at best. The incongruity can only be fully understood by knowing that my husband is a natural athlete. He throws a … Continue reading Tangible brokenness
Fresh cut
Three days before my father-in-law died, I visited a local florist seeking some cheer, for me, for all of us. Stepping through oddly placed, automatic, glass sliding doors that had been an afterthought on an old house felt like stepping into open jaws ready to consume. Willing to be eaten, I entered to find promises … Continue reading Fresh cut
Who is to blame?
“For while we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, CHRIST DIED FOR US. Since, therefore, we … Continue reading Who is to blame?
Bringing the far near
Grover from Sesame Street made me laugh out loud when he explained the difference between near and far. There was a skit where he would stand close to the camera and tell the kids “this is near” and then run, huffing and puffing, far away, until he looked small and yell from a place nearly … Continue reading Bringing the far near
thatdaubing 