I love a full, silvery winter moon against an icy-cold, inky-blue, clear sky. Its radiance sparkling upon freshly falling snow makes me want to stop–urgently–to “watch the meadow fill” just like my old friend, Robert Frost… and to gaze upon the moonlight sparkle-play upon the “downy frost.” There is dancing when the nighttime skylight shines…
Tag: coping
Shelter
She moves with stealth behind the scenes of autumn, steadily edging toward the razor cold and lacy veil of ice and crystal. Then quietly she falls, winter’s glorious mystique reveals in a day. In layers, it descends and deeper it penetrates, much more than surface. The chill and snow seeps below. But not to spurn. It’s the season of fireside reflections,…
The next time you want to shake your fist at God…
It is essential in our walk with God to understand him as a consuming fire. Most consider our Creator and his acts toward humankind to center around judgment or discipline. That he is ever-watching from heaven to smash our plans or even our lives. But the consuming fire of the Holy One of Israel and…
Mr. Sick
Before I lived abroad, before I had a daughter, before I was a pastor’s wife, before I was married, before I lived on a kibbutz in Israel, I worked as a nurse–for many years–in Colorado and then Texas. I graduated from Porter Memorial Hospital in Denver, so many years ago I don’t care to remember…
Fading Fingerprints
In my recent post, “The Last Gift,” I wrote about the last present that Dad gave me on Thanksgiving Day. It was practical, a plastic toothpick holder filled with toothpicks. This morning the thought occurred to me that Dad’s fingerprints, literally, are still on that gift. If I had the powder that the police use…
I Love Being Home
A shadow fell across our lives this year with the unexpected death of Wayne’s dad just before Christmas. The days have been bittersweet, remembering Papa and dealing with his absence. He was such a strong, quiet man. His influence steadied each of us. Now we are leaning into each other more, leaning into God more. …
Profound Sadness
The days are passing quickly since we buried Dad. There has been much to do with the season, with work, with keeping the house going. Our daughter leaves for Cyprus in less than a week. She is in a bustle preparing for six months abroad. I have been awake since 4 AM, sitting in…
Still Sweeping
After Dad’s death, we are still “sweeping up the heart and putting love away.” Wayne and Scott have spent a few days with Mom putting things in order financially, logistically. There is so much to do. Mom says her hardest times are in the morning when she first awakes. She prays and cries and cries…
Burn Rubber!
Yesterday was the funeral. It was a sweet memorial to a wonderful life. We ended the day in Bartlett, Texas, with a graveside service, and we lingered while they put the casket into the vault, sealed it, and lowered it in the earth. We stood around as a family and watched them lower Dad into…
haiku: no sting in death
I have been awake since 3 AM–way too early to arise. But arise I did, reluctantly. I need more sleep for the very long day we will have today. There will be physical and emotional strain in saying good-bye, in seeing many people, in the journey to Bartlett and back. I need more sleep……
Bonnie Saul Wilks 