Mornings with Jesus March/April 2023

Moment. There are quite a few definitions of this word according to Merriam-Webster, including “a minute portion of time,” “present time,” “a time of excellence.” I saw a T-shirt the other day that said, “Life is short. Enjoy the little moments.” That got me thinking about what constitutes a little moment. I suspect one person’s little moment might actually be another person’s large moment. The first new bloom on a flowering cherry tree. The dog running across the yard when he sees me pull in the driveway at the end of the day. A wave from a neighbor walking down the street. Dinner with my family at the table. A clear night with lots of stars. Are these little moments? Large moments? Yes and yes! Little and large, they are…

MARCH Every flower must grow through dirt. I’M CURRENTLY JUGGLING AN ARRAY of projects in process. That’s because I’m converting a forty-foot school bus into a rolling home. This entails a multitude of do-it-yourself projects: planning and designing the layout; installing electrical, heating, cooling, plumbing, flooring, and window coverings; and choosing paint colors, fixtures, appliances, and more. If I wasn’t having so much fun with this challenge, I’d feel overwhelmed by this big project. Especially since follow-through isn’t my strength. Realizing the magnitude of this undertaking, I’m inspired by the characteristic follow-through of Jesus. He successfully completed every single thing He set out to do. From the creation of the world to the salvation of humankind, Jesus is a finisher. I’m relying on Him to give me the help and…

I’M A TEACHER AT A small private school where elementary, junior high, and high school kids and staff meet in separate buildings on one campus. Every morning, after I put my belongings in my classroom, I grab my coffee cup and make the long walk across campus to the main building where the industrial coffee machine is located. No matter how early I arrive, I’m always in a rush to get back to my classroom so I can tie up loose ends before the first bell rings. I often cross paths with other teachers, and over time I noticed a significant difference between another teacher and me. When Jenny walks her daughter to class each morning, she never seems to be in a rush. While my walk seems underscored by…

IT WAS A HARD BUT necessary lesson. Refusing to ignore it any longer, I took a look at all the automatic renewals on my credit card. I didn’t even recognize some of the companies to which I’d been paying a monthly or annual fee. It happens. I’m probably not the only person who forgot to cancel a trial subscription, or who decided on the paid version of software I experimented with, then realized it was more cumbersome than what I was already using. It was time to clean up those oversights. The sums weren’t huge, but I was paying without reaping the promised benefits. Stagnant, inactive, unnecessary. As I finished unsubscribing and deleting, it occurred to me that sometimes I treat my faith in Jesus as an automatic renewal. It’s…

MY HUSBAND, STEVE, AND I have moved a lot over two decades of marriage. First, we moved into our starter home, then remodeled and flipped a few houses along the way; we even downsized at one point. But with all the upheaval, I wondered if Jesus was moving our family forward. He’d moved us again and again and again, in and out of jobs and homes. I felt like we kept circling, instead of landing. Last year, we sensed God was preparing us to relocate, again. Really, Jesus? I wanted to ask. We went through the familiar motions. Our home sold in two days with multiple offers. It took us three tries to buy our current home (sight unseen, God bless our realtor). We were down to the wire before…

THIS MORNING, I DRANK MY tea from a ceramic mug with painted images of birds sitting on a wire. The cup used to be my mom’s. Now, a week after her funeral, I cherished the memories of how much she loved her morning coffee and how often she watched and identified birds outside her window. The picture on the mug also brought to mind one of her favorite hymns—“His Eye Is on the Sparrow.” At a time when I’m grappling with exhaustion and grief, I thought about sparrows. They are small, common, everyday birds that Jesus says are cherished by God. I’m not like a majestic eagle or a brilliantly plumed macaw. And that’s all right. In my ordinary ways, my Savior sees me, knows me, and loves me. His…