The daily activities of getting up, reading the news, eating a meal and thinking about our habits have our bloggers pondering how our ordinary routines reveal bigger truths. The Thoughtful Pastor, Christy Thomas, is getting a small glimpse of life with a disability or a pre-existing condition, and reflecting on how that changes everything about… Read More
RevGalBookPals: Original Blessing
“The gospel is not a story of us being separated by sin from God. It’s the story of a God who is so faithfully for us and intent on being with us that God became human to help us embody the wholeness and fullness of life we’ve been made for. It’s not a story of… Read More
Thursday Prayer
God, Give new shape to our vision. Help us see new possibilities, new places, new spaces. Give us the courage to reach for that newness. Go before us, and with us, and after us. We trust that you will. Remind us of that, too. Amen. Monica Thompson Smith is a Presbyterian Church (USA) minister,… Read More
Narrative Lectionary: Real Families of Israel (Genesis 27:1-4, 15-23, 28:1-10)
Isaac, once betrayed by his father, Abraham, is now betrayed his wife and son, as they scheme together so the younger son, Jacob, gets the blessing intended for Esau, the older son. Read the Working Preacher commentary here. Read the scripture here. Not long before this, Esau comes home famished, and trades his birthright as… Read More
Wednesday Prayer
Tender God, the world makes us weep, and so we can only imagine that you weep, too, seeing your people burned, forced from home, battered by wind and storm, and shaken by earthquakes. We bring our tears to mix with yours, praying for your great care to touch the injured, the grieving, the newly homeless.… Read More
Revised Common Lectionary: Showing Up
You know that phrase, eighty percent of success is showing up? That’s what Sunday’s parable feels like to me. (Who knew that Woody Allen and Jesus shared a philosophy?) The workers who endured the long hours and heat of the day earned exactly the same wages as the people who worked for about an hour before… Read More
Tuesday Prayer
God, I’m sitting in a deep well a grief. I hear the noise and movement from life outside of the painful bubble in which I currently abide. I wish that I could be with those carrying on the everyday-ness of life. But right now, God, it’s you and me in this space of mourning. Far… Read More
The Pastoral is Political : Domestic Violence – A Clear Perspective
My parents recently relocated to sunny Florida. They are temporarily staying with my sister and her husband and their three youngest children that are still at home. My parents are having a blast spending time with the grandchildren. Although they are enjoying the time spent with the grandchildren weekdays; their weekends are set aside for… Read More
Monday Prayer
Precious Holy Hear our prayers For those taking Sabbath, we pray For those working through, we pray For those seeking answers, we pray For those creating questions, we pray For those journeying, we pray For those arriving, we pray For those who need to simply be, we pray For those who need to get up… Read More
Sunday Prayer
Understanding One, In these moments, our hearts and minds are tuned to your Spirit, Guiding, Chiding, Holding, and Nudging us to peel back the layers of surfaces that keep us from your Truth. Peeling back all that protects us, our perceptions, our identities, our accomplishments, even our fears to expose the bare tender skin of… Read More
