Do We Climb Mountains with Jesus or With Moses?

Yesterday’s gospel portion was Matthew 5:1-12 one that most of us are familiar with because it contains the Beatitudes, the very heart of Jesus message to his disciples and what many regard as the commandments of the kingdom of God.  The passage begins with a phrase I had never noticed before When Jesus saw the crowds, [...]

Grunewald Guild – Something Good Happening in Leavenworth

This morning Dan and Lois Orberg from the Gruenewald Guild came to visit us at the Mustard Seed House.  It was another delightful encounter as we discussed our respective ministries and overlapping passions.  The mission of the Grünewald Guild, an ecumenical Christian community in Leavenworth Washington, is to promote and encourage creativity within individuals and [...]

Parish Collective – Learning to Belong to A Place

Last night we met with Paul Sparks, Dwight Friesen and Ben Katt involved in the Parish Collective here in the Pacific NW as well as Steve Knight from the Transform network.  It was an exciting time of learning as we grappled with what it means to incarnate Jesus in the places within which we live. [...]

Who Says It Always Rains in Seattle – the Sunsets Just Get Better Every Day?

Nothing speaks to me more powerfully of the awe inspiring nature of God than an beautiful sunset.  In the last couple of days we have had the most beautiful sunsets in Seattle and I wanted to share their breathtaking beauty with you.  Notice not just the sun but the amazing cloud formations too.  Enjoy!

Valentine’s Day Is Coming – How Do We Help to Encourage Fair Trade Practices?

Yesterday I received my email copy of ePistle Evangelicals for Social Actions weekly electronic communication.  This article caught my attention: Ivory Coast is on the brink of civil war, and chocolate companies could play a critical role in saving lives and bringing peace. In November, former President Laurent Gbagbo lost democratic elections but is clinging to [...]

African Huts Glow With Renewable Power

This is a beautiful story.  Having worked in Africa I am very aware of how often those at the margins struggle to provide the basics of modern life that we so take for granted As small-scale renewable energy becomes cheaper, more reliable and more efficient, it is providing the first drops of modern power to [...]

Are You A Wasp or a Bee?

Yesterday I was talking to our good friend Graham Kerr about the garden seminar at Hillcrest Christian Fellowship in Mt Vernon.  We got to talking about mason bees.  In the midst of our conversation Graham asked me Are you a wasp or a bee? Mason bees are the pollinators in the garden.  They are gentle [...]

Spirituality of Gardening – MT Vernon, Seattle, Hood River, Portland and Beyond

It is still cold and wet outside but for many of us this is the time to plan and dream our gardens for the year. It is also a great time to think about how we encounter God as we dig, plant, water and harvest.  This year there are many opportunities to attend the increasingly [...]

Prayers for the Journey

The following prayers were have been posted on my facebook page for Light for the Journey this last week.  A number of people have told me that they find them helpful for meditation and I thought that many of you would enjoy them too. God may I be awake today to your presence No matter [...]

Solar City Tower for Rio Olympics is a Giant Waterfall

This is fascinating. This renewable energy generating tower located on the coast of Rio is one of the first buildings we’ve seen designed for the 2016 Rio Olympics, and boy, is it crazy! (In case you didn’t notice, it’s also a waterfall.) The Solar City Tower is designed by Zurich-based RAFAA Architecture & Design, and features a [...]