Blog
Where
the blog
goes
On the Road: The Psalms of Ascent
Studies in Psalms 120-134, a set of pilgrimage songs.
Wayside Stops
Reflections prompted by life circumstances.
Holding the Flashlight
Assorted tips and helps for Bible study.
The Book of Daniel
Studies in Daniel 1-7 . . . where my blog began!
Recent Posts
Lenten Sermon Series
Some of you know I attend a very small church -- a church so small that its survival presently depends on everybody doing what they can to keep the doors open and ministry happening every week. While we are between pastors, I've been able to contribute some of my Old...
Psalm 121: Do No Harm
Verses like Psalm 121:7 can make us squirm: “YHWH will keep you from all harm. He will watch over your life” Does YHWH, in fact, keep bad things from happening to us? Does it really seem like he “keeps us from all harm”? If you have spent any time at all in the...
Psalm 121: Not on God’s Watch
The last time I babysat for the Halvorsons, Mikey rolled off the changing table. It was all my fault. A junior higher at the time, I was waiting for a friend to call. When the phone rang a room away, I (stupidly) raced to answer it. Before I could tell my friend I’d...
Psalm 121: The Best Kind of Help
In one of my darker seasons, I attended a church with Stephen Ministers, laypeople trained to walk alongside those experiencing hard times. My Stephen Minister and I went for long walks often. I did most of the talking, and the summary of what I said, week after week,...
Psalm 121: “Help,” Help, or HELP!!
“From whence comes my help?” Our pup Zuzu is a curious creature who likes to sniff, well, everything. When she pokes her nose into whatever we’re doing (or trying to do), we joke that she’s “helping”—which, of course, she is not. Mostly, she’s in the way. That’s often...
Psalm 121: “Who’s in Charge Here?”
Zuzu went back to school this past fall—and we went with her. She’s a midlife dog, but since our original puppy training did not go well, she had a few bad habits—and so, we’ve learned, did we. Mr. Steve, our trainer, said dogs wake up every morning with three...
Psalm 121: Help from the Hills
For three years I lived near the mountains. One peak was readily visible from my apartment, and a short drive took me within view of others. I suppose people born and bred in mountain states get used to seeing the soaring splendor out their windows, but as a girl from...
Psalm 121: Helpful Help
Not all help is created equal. You know this if you’ve ever had a toddler “help” you with something. For several years, I was my parents’ computer “help.” When I visited from out of state, they’d greet me with a list of computer woes to fix. Computer technician that...
Psalm 121–Roadside Reflection
The second post for each song of ascent features a video devotional from the Music Ministry of First United Methodist Church in Stephenville, Texas. These videos were a weekly devotional series during the 13 months that the church’s music ministry was apart during the...