Ruth E. Hetland

July 10, 2014

Stillness

I am the pastor at a country church in an area known as Norse, Texas. One of the things I treasure most about being at Norse is the quiet. I often feel like I have the best of everything. I get to be a pastor in a great church and I get to live in […]
July 4, 2014

Fifteen Things I Learned from Being on a Norwegian Reality Show

Earlier this spring I participated in the filming of the fifth season of Alt for Norge, a Norwegian reality show. I can’t give out details of the experience until after the show airs in the fall, but I’ve been thinking a lot about the time I spent there and here are just a few things […]
July 3, 2014

dark times…

It was a dark time. Not the season – the season was bright and the days were getting warmer, long and lazy. The trees were green and lush, the world around her was burgeoning in flowers and there were babies and kittens and lambs – new life seemed to be bursting forth everye babies and […]
July 1, 2014

The Jewelry Box

The other night I remembered the jewelry box played music – the tinny notes it played had been part of its’ “magic” to me when I would admire it as a young girl. The box has been sitting in my bathroom since I brought it home from Minnesota a few months ago – Jesse likes […]
June 30, 2014

Waffles and Coffee

No one knows what heaven will be like, but I know what I hope will happen first thing when I get there. I will sit down at my mom’s kitchen table and eat waffles that she is making for me on grandma’s waffle iron. When she’s used up all the batter and all the golden […]
April 13, 2014

Admissions and Confessions

It was a stark and disquieting day – the day he admitted that he didn’t really believe in Jesus. He admitted it as he was reading the Bible and all he could think about were the questions he had swirling around in his head. The scripture said, “whoever wants to be first must be last […]
April 12, 2014

Bedtime Prayer

Bedtime Prayer She laid down that night in her quiet bed A myriad of prayers swirled around in her head. And as she settled into her pillow and began to pray These are the things she decided to say: “Dear Lord, I thank you that I’m not like the rest I thank you that I […]
March 14, 2014

The Letter

Driving back there always felt like she was being transported back in time. Almost as if to confirm this sentiment, she switched on the radio and wasn’t surprised to hear the local station playing Van Morrison, followed by Sam and Dave. Margaret was on her way home…well, a place that used to be home. She […]
March 12, 2014

Laughing at Funerals

When my Grandma died, I remember the whole family gathered in the basement of our church while we waited for the pastor to come in and pray with us before we would be seated in the sanctuary. I was fourteen and in addition to me and my immediate family, there were tons of my cousins […]
March 7, 2014

Dreams

This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen: “In the Last Days,” God says, “I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people: Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters; Your young men will see visions, your old men dream dreams. When the time comes, I’ll pour out my Spirit On those […]