Life by Grace Alone

The day of my husband's homecoming finally arrived. My son Chris and I left for the hour and a half drive to the Dulles Airport. I had talked to Steve the night before. He had been at a hotel a short distance from Heathrow. One of his activities was taking a hot shower (somewhat rare in Uganda) and shaving off his almost 5 week old beard. It looked good on skype. My husband usually does look good with a beard but (I can hear you beard lovers moan) he knows I can't tolerate very well kissing his bearded face. Since kissing his face with gusto was an important part of his anticipated homecoming, Steve knew the beard had to go. Steve was determined to preach in church the day after he got back. Although he had spent much time preparing the sermon, he spent more time finishing it on the plane until the screen went blank. He didn't give it much thought hoping to be able to pull it up and print it when we got to the church. Chris and I parked the car and we hurried to find wh...

I don't usually post on my blog this frequently. This is something that I want to remember. My husband left for Uganda on August 15 and he is scheduled to return Saturday September 17. We have communicated any way that would work, instant messaging or phone calls. Today for my birthday he called. In the middle of our call we lost the connection. I was sure that was all that would happen. I went to the computer and gravitated to his facebook page. He was smiling from under his OPC baseball cap. The picture reminded me of our short time at the beach with family. Suddenly the sound of a skype call rang out. The call wasn't very long but I got to see his face. Later in the day beautiful flowers arrived that Steve had ordered before leaving for Uganda. I was happy to receive them but they could not compare to the present I received when I saw his bearded face. I could see the twinkle in his eye and his soft smile. We will, God willing, have many days, special as well as those quit...

Years ago I remember approaching my grandmother as she was in the door of the bathroom at my parents' house. I wished her a happy birthday. I don't remember which birthday it was. I only remember that she was old enough that at my young age the number could take my breath away, most likely 80 plus. She said she didn't feel that old but when she looked at all her wrinkles she knew she was that age. I doubt I understood the amazement she felt as she faced another birthday, but as I turn 63 I now get it. Over the past few years I periodically notice a few extra wrinkles here or there or a different texture of my skin. These unexpected signs along with others bear witness to the unstoppable march of time. I have often bemoaned the fact that we can't notice them little by little. Why does it seem like I've been pushed into a chair under a bright light and been forced to examine the contours of my face in the reflection of one of those magnifying mirrors? Wouldn't i...

God blesses all of us in countless individual and corporate ways. Since Steve left on August 15, I have been blessed to be a part of my daughter's nesting experience as she waited for the birth of her son Henry. After doing a significant amount of organizing at home, she turned her attention to organizing at our church building. Jessica almost singlehandedly arranged for a church work day. She wrote a list of jobs and asked various people for suggestions. Jess talked to any number of people about being a part of that day. She shared with them about what would happen. She asked the right man to supervise. She and I put up a bulletin board about the day. In the past only the same few people have come. When this work day arrived complete with food Jessica arranged, twenty five people came to work together. When the day was done, the building looked great. Those of us who came that day blessed each other as we accomplished our tasks and our building looked like something we could feel ...

My complete experience of daily interacting with a culture outside of the United States was when we were in Uganda for three weeks six years ago. I was immediately hit with how totally different their culture is than ours. Next a great wave of emotion swept over me as I felt guilty not for all the new things I had bought recently, but for all the things cluttering my house that I knew could disappear tomorrow and I wouldn't have missed them. Somehow I thought if those things could have been packed in my luggage, that gift would have generously enhanced the lives of these people. It doesn't take long to realize that just as more things do not provide the answer to my problems, more things will not erase their problems either. If I could suddenly take all the things I had been storing for my next garage sale, and given them to these people, the chances are I would not have blessed them. Instead I would have burdened them. Uganda and the United States, both are places where you ...