Category: This Clergy Life
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Eighteen Years
I remember the day clearly. I was 29 years old. I wore my dark brown suit with dark brown heels and a tiger-striped scarf in my hair. My robe was from the on-sale section at the Catholic supply store in Saint Paul, my red stole was made by my grandmother and was a hand-me-down from…
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I am a Mother
I haven’t been writing much at all – life is so full all the time. Mostly mothering – mothering my children, mothering my congregation. I am a mother. I am tending to things all the time – tending, nurturing, teaching, caring, loving. I am a mother. Funny, I never thought I was mom material –…
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Abundance
Today was one of those Sundays where no sermon could fully be formulated until the wee hours of Sunday morning. Then, when it came, I wrote about abundance – the text was about how Jesus came to give life and give it abundantly. I asked the congregation what abundance is to them. After church one…
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Panic
The panic attacks began one sunny autumn Sunday morning shortly after I arrived at that church. Nothing unusual was happening – it was a Sunday like every other Sunday. It was during the final morning service when one moment I was reading the text, the next I felt my throat constricting and my breath slipping…
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Hometown
I went home yesterday. Well, the place that used to be my home. It’s about 55 miles from where I live now – a tiny town of about 700 people – Henning, Minnesota. It’s like many small towns in this area – a school, a post office, some business and more churches than it probably…
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Shiny, Smooth Stones
January in Minnesota is like the end of July in Texas. The weather is unforgiving but there is still plenty of beauty if you choose to see it. In Texas, I used to find it when a rare cool breeze would sweep in by surprise during an evening walk in the cemetery or when the…
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Nursing Home Worship Service
My car crept along the snowy, slippery roads toward the nursing home. Unlike normal, I was not racing to get to the morning worship service at the last minute. I had allowed an abundance of time so that I wouldn’t have to rush. Snow and ice on the roads is terrifying to me and I…
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The Day After Christmas
A blizzard sweeps across the fields I won’t go to the church today. My 200-foot commute is unnecessary As no one will be coming by my office. If I am needed, they will call me. Today, I stay at home and pray – exercise, watch a movie, read, and write. It’s a mandatory day of…
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A Pastor’s Christmas Eve Prayer
I’m listening. Still my spirit. Still the voices in my head. Let me hear You. Directing my deeds. Directing my words. Directing my days. This Christmas Eve. Every day. Every year. The chatter is loud inside my head – Presents to wrap! Sermon to practice! Chores to do! Christmas chatter. So I pray for ease…
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Listen…
September 12th was my 17th anniversary of ordination. I remember my ordination day so clearly – as one remembers any day that marks something significant. I woke up that morning in my parents’ house, had waffles and coffee with my mom, got dressed in my brown skirt and jacket, tied a scarf in my hair,…