We celebrated Easter a few days ago, so this week, I’m looking back on a Lenten practice I chose to take on during the 40 days before Easter. Would you like to come along with me?

In the week or two before Ash Wednesday, people often asked me, “What are you doing for Lent?”

They could have been wondering what I planned to add for Lent, like a devotional, a book, or scripture readings.

Or they might have been asking what I planned to take away for Lent, like fasting from meals, social media, chocolate, coffee, or some other food or activity.

Haiku

her broken heart found

hope in the One who loved with

true fidelity

In 1975, when I graduated from college, I traveled for 15 months with a Christian musical ministry team with Lutheran Youth Encounter. This organization sent hundreds of college-aged kids around the world to share their faith. Our team, New Vision, traveled to and ministered in churches in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, singing and sharing the good news of Jesus.

One of the songs we loved to sing a cappella was a little ditty that went around and around until it finally ended.

“I shall arise and go unto my father,

and say unto him father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.

and no more worthy to be called thy son.”

And when the father saw his son afar off,

He arose to greet him, kissed and embraced him with love and compassion

saying, “Once my son was lost, but now my son is found!”

This little round tells just a part of the amazing story of a father seeing his son and running to welcome him home.

Somewhere between silver and gold shines this lovely deep blue stone, celebrating 45 years of busy careers, raising children, celebrating weddings, inviting cherished in-laws, rejoicing over five dear grandchildren, burying our parents, many mission trips, growing in our faith, and finding Jesus to be so important. Now, in our retired years, we find ourselves serving others and giving back to the life we have truly cherished.

Do you have days when you feel like you just aren’t enough?

Maybe you think you aren’t rich enough, organized enough, smart enough, thin enough, or pretty enough. Or perhaps you’re worried that you don’t have enough of what it takes to accomplish the work you’ve been asked to do.

And so you pray, God, may I have more, please?

Striving for more seems to be a part of the American Dream!

I should be able to work hard, make more money, get more stuff…and ultimately feel “more” happy.

But I wonder, Is that how it really works?

King David wrote in Psalm 8:3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars which You set in place…

David’s “stopping to consider,” led him to deeper questions. He wondered, What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

I guess he wondered why God would care for people when the universe was so magnificent. I wonder that myself sometimes.

After learning that my name means “dweller in the valley,” I head out to walk my usual early morning route, up the street from my house and into our neighborhood city park.

Alone today, I can notice my thoughts and surroundings attentively.

The sun is already up, bright and mid-horizon with a cloudless sky overhead and my mind is full of “dweller in the valley” thoughts.

What might it be like to dwell in a valley?

With bright eyes, Oliver shouted, “Grandma, look at all the buckeyes!”

And indeed, a bumper crop had fallen. I told him that every fall, for years, I walked by these trees, and picked up a few delightful seeds to put in a bowl or on a shelf. It was like picking up colorful leaves or dried wildflowers, a true sign of fall. Finding them felt like we were happening upon abundant treasure.

With much excitement, he took charge, “Let’s take some home!”

Just this morning, I heard on the radio, that we Americans are finding fewer peaches in our stores this summer. Warm weather in the South and cold weather in the Midwest knocked out a significant number of our nation’s peach crops, leaving shortages across the country. Georgia’s production is down 90-95% and South Carolina’s is down 60-70%. California, on the other hand, is producing a solid crop. So peaches are available but not as many, and the prices have risen…

Last week I drove to a friend’s house for an afternoon visit. After settling into comfortable chairs on her back porch with glasses of water close by, she and I happily caught up on our lives since we last met in that same spot a year ago. We talked about our kids, our churches, our writing, and the work we find ourselves doing. I loved all of it! Toward the end, we came upon one of my favorite topics and spent the rest of our time there, sharing our thoughts:

How do we grow and feel closer to God?

We are so thankful to know that we are loved by God, but there are times when it is hard to feel that love.