For Me… Concrete or Abstract? 4 May 2022 Created to Create, Part 2 By Visual Faith® Coach Valerie Matyas for the 2022 Creative Haven Retreat Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have…
For Me… Reflecting Beauty 19 Apr 2022 Created to Create, Part 1 By Visual Faith® Coach Valerie Matyas for the 2022 Creative Haven Retreat In the beginning God created the heavens and earth. Genesis 1:1 (ESV) Human…
Advent… A Change of Epiphany Bumper Stickers 6 Jan 2020 Maybe you’ve seen the bumper sticker: “Wise men still seek Him.” I always kind of liked that one … Except the role of “Magi from the East” in the Gospel…
Advent… The Spiritual Gift of Naps 1 Jan 2020 Jesus was known to pull the occasional prayer all-nighter; but he was also the kind of guy who could get so exhausted, that he slept through a rising gale and…
Advent… Fully Adopted 29 Dec 2019 I don’t think I’ll ever forget the look on the face of the university president when I hit him square in the middle of his bald head with a rubber…
For My Friends Rest and Jubilee 28 Dec 2019 In the Old Testament, the Year of Jubilee was a special kind of Sabbath celebration: Sabbath came once a week at the end of seven days. Jubilee came once every…
Time to Ponder 26 Dec 2019 Wow! A lot has been going on lately! Hectic schedules, fun-filled (and stress-filled) events. Gifts and worship and family and food and … And it’s all a little crazy. I…
A Real Christmas for Real People 25 Dec 2019 Sometimes, for some people, Christmas can be a sad and lonely time of year. Sometimes loss leaves an empty spot at the table. Sometimes broken relationships make the festive mood…
Tomorrow, I Will Come 23 Dec 2019 The Great O Antiphons invite Jesus to come. Over the course of the week before Christmas, they address Jesus by seven different Messianic titles or names: O Sapientia (Wisdom) O…
Advent… Home for Christmas 19 Dec 2019 “I’ll be home for Christmas, you can count on me…” I’ve had that song playing in my head for a month now. I remember rehearsing that tune with a big…
Advent… Should We Expect Someone Else?! 15 Dec 2019 John the Baptist prepared the way. He preached with a fire and conviction that produced repentance. He pointed to Jesus, the Lamb of God. And now, the Baptist wants to…
Advent… How Can I Be Sure…? 10 Dec 2019 Who knows how long it took for Zechariah’s name to be drawn in the Priest on Duty lottery? I’ve seen some research that suggests this might have been the only…
Advent… A People Prepared 9 Dec 2019 I kind of like all the preparations this season of the year brings: planning party menus, shopping for presents, making travel plans, deciding not to send out Christmas cards again…
Advent… Holiday Hospitality 8 Dec 2019 Martin Luther once said, “Where the Church is, there is hospitality.” To be the people of God is to extend God’s acceptance and welcome not only to the people we…
Advent… Be Still and Know 6 Dec 2019 I remember, like I was there, the wind coming off the Red Sea, the smell of dust and fear in the air, the sound of Egypt’s infamous chariots getting louder,…
Advent… Prepare the Way 3 Dec 2019 As part of their training for geriatric care, local nursing students have to put on special shoes that throw off their sense of balance and make walking across a mock…
Advent… Traveling Home for the Holidays 1 Dec 2019 Holidays often mean homecoming, and homecoming often involves home-going. Travel at Thanksgiving and Christmas always seems to rank among the busiest times of the year. Something like that is happening…
