Can you love God and not go to church? A sincere young man recently asked me this question. My mind turned to the Spirit of Truth for an answer. If I say “yes” then it might seem church isn’t important. If I say “no”, it reduces the love of God to rules and regulations. What should I say? He said he didn’t like church. I remember not liking church when I was young; but here I am, plugged in--not so much because I enjoy it (because, honestly, sometimes I don’t), but because I’

Hot and humid weather has lingered far too long. Primary activities in the garden are filling the birdfeeders, making sure the fountains don’t run dry, and pulling weeds here and there--before the sun pokes its fiery head into my backyard. I feel the lack of garden time. I miss my hands in the dirt, building rock beds, moving plants around and planting new ones, all while hearing quiet whispers in my meeting place with God. Not that we don’t meet, but you know what it’s like

It feels like an oasis in the midst of a desert—an oasis surrounded by houses in the middle of a subdivision, in the middle of a city. It’s the next best thing to being surrounded by forests or a greenbelt. Sitting on the patio in the early morning, the dull roar of traffic is usually an annoying backdrop to the gurgling sound of water fountains. But not today. It’s quieter for some reason—so quiet that I caught the shrill sound of baby birds. Several months ago I hung a bird

As I’ve written before, there is no end to the garden to-do list. It’s a constant challenge to keep the list from dominating my life, and I fail on a regular basis. Some things are just essential. But essential is often subjective. Just this morning, in the middle of an essential task, I thought: How essential is this? Dove-proofing bird feeders—really? That must be the most nonessential thing in the world. But bear with me while I explain why it is essential to me. First, ho

Bit by bit, the kitchen update I started last November is progressing. I’ve replaced the white faux wood blinds with bamboo shades. I love the natural look and the warmth they bring, but best of all, I love that I can see outside even when they’re closed. When it’s just too hot to be in the garden, I still enjoy a filtered view of green, splashes of color, shapes and outlines, and flashes of movement as birds feed and fly around all day long. The garden is ethereally visible,

Day after day, 100° or more...is this a scheme to cause all but the foolhardiest to run back to the coolness of the North? Will this murderous heat be the solution to overcrowding? If I wasn’t a native Texan, if I didn’t have deep roots here, if I didn’t have more to love here than the climate, I would probably run. But I know that this extremely hot summer isn’t the norm. In fact, the last two summers were unusually cool for Texas. I remember this for a particular reason, wh

Spring is one of the busiest seasons in my garden. Not only is there winter clean-up, but it’s a race against time to get things moved or planted before the heat sets in. Plants and projects--there’s no end to either! When we set our clocks forward one hour in the Spring, I usually stay outside until dark, working on a trellis or a new seating area, fixing something, or some plant-related. These tasks bring me joy (well, maybe not repairs!), but they take time, my most valuab

Not too long ago I went to a class reunion and saw the love of my life. At least I thought he was when I was in 9th grade. That was eons ago—but first love memories reside deep in the soft tissues of the young, often forming a backdrop against which all else plays out. First love isn’t easy to forget. Maybe you had a similar experience, or maybe your first love is still your love. Regardless, we each have a unique path to walk. Comparing the scenery only makes for a rocky tr

Whether by necessity, happenstance, or design, I’ve had a wood burning stove of some kind in all but one house I’ve lived in over the last forty years. Over time, experience has taught me a few things about fire. Building a fire from scratch, tending it, and keeping it going 24/7 is an exercise in observation and tenacity--couple that with a wise, softly speaking teacher…I would say fire can speak mysteries. My very first wood stove came as a gift. We had “upgraded” from a s

I awoke early this morning while it was still dark—my favorite time to start the day. For the last few months my sleep schedule has been off, which has led to lingering in bed longer than I like. But, this morning, even though I had only slept about five hours, I was ready to get up, make coffee, feed the cat, light candles, and spend some time praying and pondering over the thoughts that came to me even before I opened my eyes. My first thoughts were of hurting hearts. I can