Stand on Grace

I had one of those very full “mom days” yesterday – complete with kids’ check ups and a less-than-compassionate nurse dispensing the vaccines. I made dinner at 3pm (no joke) and that is when we ate. Shortly after our pre-happy hour dinner, John offered to take both kids to the grocery store so I could …

Lost Loves Live On

Earlier in the summer I learned that two of my childhood friends “broke up” with me on social media.  It’s such a counterfeit medium for relationships, anyway, but it still hurt. This realization gave me pause – I had to contemplate my own stupidity and selfishness alongside the disappointment I felt, and that tastes bitter. …

Absurdity as an Act of Resistance

  I’m going to admit something that happened this year that I’m not especially proud of: I put on weight. I can’t tell how much, scales vary, maybe eight to twelve pounds. It’s kind of annoying. On my more self-gracious days, I remind myself that shapes fluctuate, so do body sizes, I’m a curvy gal, …

My Daughter at Communion

Yesterday we worshiped at a church we often visit in the small town of Cable, WI called “Living Hope.” Although that’s its official name, I’m prone to refer to it as ‘Gloria Church’ to get my kids excited about seeing their pint-sized friend in the north woods. Unfortunately, on this particular Sunday, there was no …

Joy in Service: A Rookie’s Reflection on Mega VBS

When I was hired last year to serve St. Paul Lutheran Church as the Pastor for Children and Family Life, I knew Vacation Bible School was the biggest program connected to the call. In my mind, beforehand, I exaggeratedly imagined thousands of young children storming the doors of our nearly 100,000 square foot campus and …

Mom, this is for YOU.

  Recently, at the church I serve, we celebrated the faith milestone of first communion with a bunch of eager fourth graders. In our very first training, Pastor Sara Olson-Smith reminded us that this is God’s gift for YOU. We made sure the kids were aware of that, over and over again. Communion is meant …

Embodying Neighborly Compassion: Brewery Edition

When I lived in Fort Collins, Colorado, I became a beer snob. It’s hard not to. When we lived there, there were three major microbreweries right there in our town of 160,000. Now, there are probably more like ten or fifteen. But actually, I’ve lost count. New Belgium is probably the most well-known outside the …