We're halfway there! So far we have talked about the meaning of life (meaningless, meaningless-- or is it?), seeing eternally, wholeheartedness, walking with purpose, compassion, and generosity. Next on the docket, Hold Loosely. (Feel free to sing the 38 Special version if you grew up rollerskating to it.) Last night we peered into chapter 5... Continue Reading →
Life is Vapor, Week 5
This week we tackled suffering. How do we care passionately in a broken world? What does it mean to have "an abundant life" in the midst of the oppression and injustice around us? How do we get our minds around that? Here are Erika's thoughts -- so encouraging! If you know someone whose life is... Continue Reading →
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Life is Vapor, Week 4
For everything there is a season... This week we made it to Ecclesiastes chapter 3. I feel like we should all be singing the Byrds right now: "For everything, turn, turn, turn." Groovy! Sadly not everything in Ecclesiastes is peace, love, and rainbows, but we had a great night digging in anyway. If you are... Continue Reading →
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Life Is Vapor, Week 3
This week we talked about Ecclesiastes chapter 2 and all of the ways we seek satisfaction under the sun. The Preacher, as one commentator remarked, tries hard to set up his own little Garden of Eden without any of the forbidden fruits, and oh how his experiment fails! Here's my friend Erika leading us. Enjoy!... Continue Reading →
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Life is Vapor, Week 2
"Vanity of vanities!" "Meaningless, meaningless!" "Mist and vapor!" What can it mean? Here we go -- chapter one of the difficult/intriguing/rich/rewarding book of Ecclesiastes.
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Priority Tension
It is summer. For a brief season, all of us bound by school-year schedules are free; visions of swimming pools dance in our heads. Lakes and camping, beaches and sandcastles, supper on the patio. The hours ahead seem endless, which the kids are quick to pick up on. "I'm boooorrrred," whines across the country. We... Continue Reading →
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Life Is Vapor, Week 1
Hello, friends! For anyone who would like to follow along with our summer study of Ecclesiastes and Thirty Thousand Days, I will be posting our weekly talks. This one is in two parts -- first, a little reflection on Ecclesiastes, second, the nuts and bolts of how the study will work. The workbook I refer... Continue Reading →
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Life Is Vapor
I am so delighted to share this resource! Yeah, I'm a little biased, but this is a really unique study. First there's the in-depth, take-it-apart-verse-by-verse study of Ecclesiastes--what a book! In the process, sharpen your Bible study skills, dip a toe in some deep philosophy, and investigate how the Bible reconciles our struggles in a fallen... Continue Reading →
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Perspective Podcast
Blessed to be a guest on Chris Arnzen's "Iron Sharpens Iron" show this week! Loved the opportunity to linger in conversation a while, and I hope it will give you some food for thought while you jog/do the dishes/drive a bus/bathe a dog. (Does anyone do anything without multi-tasking any more?)
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Friends and Books
Maybe you have felt that reading a book is like making a friend, or that, picking up someone else's pages, you have made a connection across miles and time with the author. You read someone else's words and you think, Yes! I feel the same. As C.S. Lewis said, "Friendship ... is born at the... Continue Reading →
Catherine's Letters 