Our son made a tempestuous arrival into the world. An emergency c-section at the end of hard labor would have been climactic enough. But Ethan had contracted a life-threatening virus. My new-born was rapidly whisked to a neo-natal intensive care unit an hour away…and I finally caught up with him four days later. But this little… Continue reading Wooed By A Baby
Category: Biography
Kindred Temptations
I spent a delightful evening last weekend with a new friend. We found we had many things in common, but huge among them was a particular vocational path. Both of us had started adulthood driven and quite successful. And all these years later our lives were much simpler, and not particularly impressive by cultural standards.… Continue reading Kindred Temptations
No Swinging During Lent
This Lent I can’t abstain from caffeinated coffee because I am not drinking it at all. But for years it has been a not so trivial way to help me step into the season of Lent. Not being a "morning person," my cup of coffee in the morning helps me wake up, and offers comfort… Continue reading No Swinging During Lent
Community
Does everybody love everybody?” My father’s booming baritone would sound with a faint hint of warning as his four teenagers would be scrambling for their preferred television channel, the comfortable couch, or worst of all, leg room in the station wagon.At the sound of this warning we would squelch our resentments temporarily and assume the… Continue reading Community
Favored Ones
"I renounce the lies the enemy tells us about you, dear Father of Jesus." The scene? A Saturday afternoon as our class on the Sacred Actions and Ministries of Worship gathered in a little historic chapel at the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies (IWS) for a service of baptismal renewal. The teaching on… Continue reading Favored Ones
Food Freedom
During my New Year's week in the hospital for gut issues I was seen by several doctors. Each of them had a different set of instructions on if and/or what I could eat or drink. I would have orders reversed more than once in the same day. One meal I ate what I wanted. The… Continue reading Food Freedom
Dusting Off Grace
I think my eyes get cloudy in all the wrong the places. I am working hard to paint my house coordinating colors, to center the pictures I hang on walls, and put my books on the shelves in some kind of coherent order. I'm really quite clear about these things. But grace, a reality as… Continue reading Dusting Off Grace
Gatorade
My son began playing T-Ball when he was four years old. For two un-self-conscious years he would come running over to me with a quick, "Mommy, I'm thirsty." I'd hand him a bottle of water and off he'd go. But by age six, the television ads had accomplished their goal: "Mom, I have to have… Continue reading Gatorade
Gritty Love
Many years ago I entered into a memorable silent retreat. During this time I was a busy college professor, loving my students, loving my church. But early on in the retreat I found my mind defaulting to two other people in my life: my husband and toddler son. "Well, Lord, I love them, too. But… Continue reading Gritty Love
Handmaiden Humility
I haven't given much thought to the face of Wisdom's handmaiden, Humility. But I encountered her so vividly last week that her subtle and beautiful features shine with clarity after leaving "Worship Camp." Perhaps I can give you a glimpse of her lovely face. My teaching partner, Reggie Kidd, and I have just completed teaching… Continue reading Handmaiden Humility
Carla Waterman 