A Thanksgiving Prayer

American Thanksgiving is less than a week away and we are all looking forward to what is fondly called Turkey Day.  It is my favourite American custom which I have embraced with great enthusiasm not just because I love good food and good fellowship but because I love the opportunity to think about what I [...]

The Coming Of the Lord is Near – Advent Meditation Video 2009

Here is my Advent meditation video for 2009.  I have really enjoyed putting this one together as I have been meditating on What Am I Waiting for this Advent?
The music is Gloria – Remember from the CD Standing Still by Jeff Johnson Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A high quality version [...]

Is There Life After College?

I thought that some of you might be interested in these offerings from our time at Eastern Mennonite University.
The first is an article that appeared in the Mennonite Weekly Review – Hard Times Offer Chance to Help More
The second is a podcast of our address at EMU – New Possibilities for Life After EMU

Quietness and Rest – A Great Christmas Gift

Maybe it is just because of the busyness of the last few weeks, or because Tom & I have just booked accommodation for our annual Advent retreat, but I have been thinking a lot lately about the need for rest and quietness in our lives.  I think particularly as we move into what is generally [...]

Practicing everyday Justice

Tom & I are just finishing off our time here at Eastern Mennonite University.  We have enjoyed sharing with the students about how live on purpose in our consumer driven world.
I have particularly been impressed with some of the green initiatives on the campus here.  Their campus garden provides greens squash and grapes for the [...]

Junk Food Spirituality – Are We Addicted to the Wrong Practices?

Following my post yesterday Fruit That Will Last, my friend Andy Wade commented
I wonder, what would the difference look like between highly processed fruit and whole foods w/o all the junk? What are the parallels between how our bodies respond to processed foods and how our souls respond?
It was a great question that sent my [...]

Fruit That Will Last

Tom and I are now at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg Virginia still trying to get our clocks turned around from the trip to Australia.  This is definitely not the best way to model a balanced way of life though I am really looking forward to our time here.
Part of my morning Bible reading was [...]

A garden of solitude

It is a beautiful evening in Seattle and I am sitting watching the sunset over the Olympic mountains.  It is great to have a quiet moment as Tom & I will be travelling again tomorrow to Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg Virginia.  This will be our last trip until after Christmas for which I am [...]

A Prayer for All Saints Eve

We are back in Seattle our heads still whirring with the disorienting experience of starting the day with a beautiful spring morning and ending with blustery autumn weather.  I am also adjusting slowly to the images of pumpkins on doorsteps and scary halloween decorations all over the place – not something that Australia has yet [...]

Last Day in Australia – My Concerns About How We Care for the Elderly

Tom & I are in the midst of our last day in Sydney.  Tonight we will have dinner with Matt Stone and some of his cronies.  Then tomorrow last trip up to the local shops for a cappuccino or mocha with Mum – hate to admit it but cappuccinos here are much better than in [...]