At first glance, you may think I'm mixing fantasies (Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings). But, no. I'm talking about the weather. Yes, really. Well, weather and some literary rabbit trails. Apparently The Weather Channel (weather.com) has taken the initiative to name this season's winter storms. You can read the rationale behind the decision … Continue reading Draco and Gandolf
Marketing or ministry?
My friend, Yvonne Anderson, reflects today on the tension between marketing and writing. Having two books published this year has shown me how that tension increases exponentially. There seems to be a continual tug of war between these two priorities. But one thing I'm learning is that the lines blur between marketing and ministry. Since … Continue reading Marketing or ministry?
Book signing today!
This evening from 5:00-7:00 I'll be signing copies of my devotional, A Month of Sundays: 31 Meditations on Resting in God, at The Sanctuary Coffeehouse and Christian bookstore in Pella. A Month of Sundays was released in November from Reformation Heritage Books and is available from the publisher or on Amazon. If you'd like to purchase it from … Continue reading Book signing today!
Susan R. Lawrence
Remember that name: Susan R. Lawrence. Soon you'll find it on the cover of a book, The Atonement of Emily Adams, written by my very good friend and writing buddy. This week Susan received a contract for her novel, which began a couple of years ago during our annual NaNoWriMo rush. Since I was present at this novel's … Continue reading Susan R. Lawrence
Cabin fever (Vacation saga 3)
Peering through a wiper-swept windshield, David and I drove out of Yellowstone National Park one dim evening of our honeymoon 40 years ago. Tenting was out for that night. We drove what seemed a very long way until, in the gleam from our headlights, we saw a sign with an arrow pointing west and the … Continue reading Cabin fever (Vacation saga 3)
A Month of Sundays at Reformation Heritage Books
In yesterday's post, I mentioned discovering that my soon-to-be-released A Month of Sundays: 31 Meditations on Resting in God is now up on the website of Reformation Heritage Books. Copying those links for this post, I made another discovery. The rolling ads at the top of RHB's homepage feature Little One Lost: Living with Early Infant Loss. … Continue reading A Month of Sundays at Reformation Heritage Books
Thin skin (Vacation saga 2)
At Yellowstone, the earth's skin is thin. Parked atop a massive volcano, the Park's thermal features include colorful pools, spouting geysers, and bubbling mud pots. Visitors can explore the Park's over 2 million acres via the 144-miles figure eight-shaped Grand Loop, stopping to hike any of the more than 1,100 miles of trails. In most … Continue reading Thin skin (Vacation saga 2)
Mourning into dancing (Vacation saga 1)
On our honeymoon 40 years ago, David and I tented in Yellowstone National Park. When we walked into Old Faithful Inn, we were so struck by its rustic architecture and unique beauty that we said, "We're going to come back and stay here some day." We vaguely thought "some day" would be when we were … Continue reading Mourning into dancing (Vacation saga 1)
URCNA Synod: Defining the meaning of synodical actions
Those who have attended previous synods know the confusion created by the adoption of documents without a clear definition of how they are to be regarded by the churches. Synod London 2010 had asked the Ad Hoc Synodical Rules Committee to address this issue. That committee drafted a document that defines synodical actions and describes … Continue reading URCNA Synod: Defining the meaning of synodical actions
Sorting out the emeritation process
When a retiring minister moves to another location and begins attending a different church, there may be some confusion as to which church ought to be holding his ministerial credentials. Additionally, there exists within the URCNA a wide range of discrepancy in the practice of funding ministers’ retirement funds. One study committee brought its recommendations … Continue reading Sorting out the emeritation process
Glenda Faye Mathes 