True confessions. I have a strong proclivity for order. No matter where I am or who I am with, I naturally (and sometimes compulsively) seek to create or recreate order. I suppose I come by it naturally. I learned order from my orderly mother. I’m a “J” on the Myers-Briggs, i.e., someone who prefers structure and order. I raised four children who were less than six years apart. Establishing order was a necessity in our lively household! Even so, I still get lots of things o

Today is the most celebratory worship experience in the liturgical calendar, Easter Sunday! In our church, we initially gather outside around a bonfire with noisemakers in hand, while a presider bangs loudly on the church door three times, saying, “Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors! That the King of glory may come in.” Then, from inside the building, a voice queries: “Who is the King of glory?” And the presider shouts, “The LORD, he is the King o

Imagine that you’re at a social gathering. You’ve spent the last half-hour playing conversational ping-pong with several people. Every interaction has been superficial, revolving around topics that don’t truly matter. Boring stuff. You start to look for an exit to escape the misery. Sound familiar? I wonder if you feel the same way I do about small talk. The Necessity of Meaningful Dialogue Naturally, some small talk is necessary to begin a conversation and establish a connec

Understanding Self-Deception When Ted Lasso turned to a disgraced Rebecca and said, “You’re not the only one who sees what kind of man he is,” he was referring to Rupert, her obnoxious, immoral, greedy, ego-driven ex-husband. I knew exactly what Ted meant. We all possess an intrinsic ability to recognize the true nature of a person. In Rupert’s case, it was an easy call. Leadership and Self-Deception is a book that highlights our innate ability to discern the quality of our

I feel a lot of tenderness and affection when I think of the word “friend.” To be a friend is a high value. To have a friend is an exquisite gift! And so, as I spend my last hours of silence during our Fall Creek Abbey Silent Retreat 2026, it is with eagerness that I claim my word for the year: BEFRIEND! To ”befriend” is to make friends with; to act as a friend would act toward someone or something by offering it your help and support. It implies taking steps to get to know

I breast-fed all four of my children, and I experienced the challenge of weaning them. I am mindful of a distinct memory as I consider this final reflection on Psalm 131 and the third step for circumventing anxiety. T he memory that comes to mind isn’t an abstract one. It’s an actual recollection just days after our son was born. We were home from the hospital, adding a fourth to our young family, with a two-and-a-half-year-old sister. We were all making adjustments. On th