I find myself telling Azzan to "take a deep breath" with more frequency than I did nine months ago. In truth, I find I need to take more deep breaths these days. The "blissful ignorance" that marked Azzan's initial experience with the pandemic seems to be the case no longer. After months of wearing a mask and keeping his "space" from people, awareness has replaced ignorance. As … [Read more...] about Take a Deep Breath and Be Kind
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
It is difficult to pick out one particular Christmas carol or hymn which encapsulates the meaning of the Christmas season. Indeed, we all have favorites—many of them go back to our family traditions. For Ed and me, the Christmas hymn, O Come O Come Emmanuel holds a special meaning. Not only does it signify the beginning of the Advent season, but its haunting … [Read more...] about O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
IC (I SEE) In the Midst of a PandemIC
Twenty-twenty (2020) has been an eye-opening experience in many ways. It took the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor for the U.S. to come together to say enough is enough with police brutality. The handling of a worldwide pandemic allowed us to see where we stand as a nation, and brought us together in ways we never imagined. Because of the pandemic, we can all say … [Read more...] about IC (I SEE) In the Midst of a PandemIC
Sufficiency In All Things
The year 2020 has gotten a lot of well-deserved bad press. It is a hated year. I have heard many comments about getting a “do over” for 2020 or wishing this year had never existed. 2020 has been hard on EVERYONE. We all know about the thousands of thousands who have got sick with Covid-19, the even larger number who have been infected with the virus, and … [Read more...] about Sufficiency In All Things
UNPRECEDENTED
Unprecedented. We've heard that word a lot lately. The Bible tells us that "there is nothing new under the sun," and you have perhaps heard it said that “history repeats itself.” So is this truly an unprecedented moment in history? The purpose of this question isn’t to trivialize the amount of loss and suffering that many of us have experienced, but rather to serve as a … [Read more...] about UNPRECEDENTED