Kids. Oh boy. 5 boys, 1 girl, and all isolated in one tiny house. Mix in two adults who both enjoy being in charge when the other is out… and no one is out… we are in... guys, this is crazy. I would love to talk about how the silence is beautiful… but there is no silence in this house. I would love to say that I am getting my spring cleaning done early, but I am very much not doing that. I wish I could say that my kids are doing their school work diligently and going outside regularly to enjoy the last snow of the year (oh please let it be the last snow of the year!). In short, my ego has some ideas of what this should look like, and no one around here seems to be cluing in.  

The Lent of 2020 will remain in my memory for a very long time.  It is the Lent in which we as a community of believers “gave up” a lot of things we never even considered giving up.  Things we pretty much took for granted.

Names are important. They carry so much meaning in one word. In my job I often have to recall many different people’s names and I (almost) always get a smile if I remember them right. There is something about being called by your name. A name can be an emboldening experience, a recognition of identity and status - like expressing friendship, solidarity, communion.