Preparing to Enter Lent–Thoughts on Ash Wednesday

Three years ago I developed a creative arts Lenten retreat based on the Revised Common Lectionary passage. And guess what? The Lectionary has cycled back around to those same passages this year! So I will be sharing from that retreat material throughout Lent: scripture reflections, visual art prayer practices and creative writing prayer practices. The…

Reading Hard Texts, Praying Hard Prayers

Have you read the Lectionary texts for this week? I will admit that I’m happy to be in the midst of a sermon series on Acts. After the Lamentations and dashing babies against rocks, you hold out some hope for the Gospel reading only to be told that you are a worthless slave. . .…

What Happens when I Wake Up Too Early

Last Saturday I was awake at 5 a.m. I didn’t want to get up, so I stayed warm under my covers and started thinking. I began making a mental outline of the sermon that I needed to write that morning. Then I started thinking about possible crafts for the February craft kit. And back and…

Pre-Sermon Ponderings: On Being Pro-Life

I have long loved this week’s Old Testament lectionary text, Deuteronomy 30:15-20. “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live.” These words are dear to my spirit . . . “choose life.” Yet as I read the passage this time around, I…