Learning from Tomatoes as We Reopen Our Churches

One of the interesting responses to the current pandemic has been a turning back to gardening. Plant nurseries and online seed catalogue companies have been inundated with orders for seeds, planting boxes and fertilizers. First time gardeners are crying out for help as they dig their inexperienced hands in the dirt. What concerns me, however, is that many of these …

Are You Ready for the Corona Virus?

Last Wednesday, I went to Costco for my usual fortnightly visit, arriving early to avoid the crowds. Or at least, I thought I was. The place was crowded and people were loading carts with what looked like a year’s supply of toilet paper, rice and other staples. Over the weekend, it was even worse and when I went this week …

Enter the Re-Wonderment of the World.

This year has been an amazing awe and wonder springtime on America’s west coast. In California the spectacular blooming of the desert brought thousands of people out to relish the brilliant oranges, yellows and purples of the flowers whose seeds lie dormant, sometimes for years waiting for rain. In Oregon brilliant purple lupines waved their heads across the mountainsides and …

Breaking Down Walls

My Lenten theme this year is Breaking Down Walls. I was not just thinking of the controversy about the wall on the U.S/Mexican border when I chose this topic. All of us have walls in our lives, products of our own brokenness and often too, of our responses to the brokenness of others. These walls separate us from the one …

A Season of Gratitude

This year my husband Tom and I are celebrating Thanksgiving twice. At the beginning of October we had the privilege of sharing Canadian Thanksgiving with friends in British Columbia. We loved not just the enjoyment of rich food and fellowship but also the times of reflecting on the many blessings in our lives. We came home with a warm glow. …

The Times They Are A Changing

This morning I turned on the kitchen lights when I got up. It’s the first time since summer began. We still expect warm days and abundant harvests throughout August, but this is my first warning that the seasons are changing and I need to be ready. It reminds me of when I worked in Jamaica. A common road sign read You …