“Hope” is the thing with feathers -That perches in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops – at all”

—Emily Dickinson

@ourtinycottage

Latest Posts

  • Nothing Is New

    Nothing is absolutely new in this world. It is recycled, reconstituted, repackaged, or rediscovered, but it is not entirely new … Except today. Today is entirely new and we are new in it. Every thought, idea, experience, dream, and individual… Continue reading

  • From Ponderosa, CA

    I was able to slip away for a few minutes to a coffee shop with WiFi a mile from camp. But first … I watched a ripple in the pond this morning. I could not tell whether it came from… Continue reading

  • Going to Camp & Offline

    I am leaving for camp in a few hours where I will be camp pastor for the week. There is no Internet access there (or very slow and borrowed) and my cell phone does not work. It is my annual… Continue reading

  • Eyebrows and Countdowns

    I raised a couple of eyebrows when I told some folks I was doing a wedding vow renewal ceremony on a Tuesday morning. Those eyebrows practically levitated when I told them where. In 25 minutes, I will be conducting this… Continue reading

  • Be Vulnerable; Get Real

    “We would do well not to be enamored by the kind of leadership that is so prized by politicians and CEOs, the kind that is conspicuous and, as we say, “effective.” Forget about charisma, go for character.” – Eugene Peterson,… Continue reading

  • Sizzling Like Bacon on a Saturday Morning

    I like bacon. I like its taste, smell, and the sound of it sizzling in a pan on a Saturday morning. I like success too! Continue reading

  • Ye Shall Not Be So

    We try to meld, but not so much that we don’t push ourselves to the front or climb over others to get to the top. Into that context, Jesus introduces a counter-cultural, counter-intuitive jab in the sides of our psyches,… Continue reading

  • The Kind of Jesus He Is

    “I want neither a terrorist spirituality that keeps me in a perpetual state of fright about being in right relationship with my heavenly Father nor a sappy spirituality that portrays God as such a benign teddy bear that there is… Continue reading

  • The Place Where God Calls You

    “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” — Frederick Buechner (Wishful Thinking: A Seeker’s ABC God calls us to space, place, face, and at His own pace to… Continue reading

  • God’s Care for the Oppressed

    God has this great "thing" for the poor and oppressed. Don't take my word for it. Psalm 146  7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed        and gives food to the hungry.        The LORD sets prisoners free,  8… Continue reading

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