The scary wonder of stillness A brief experiment by Ken Rummer Tiny blooms of frost aster show white along the trail, leaves on our maple tree sport a crazy quilt of orange and green and red, and the mid-morning temp is only in the 50s. Here in Iowa, where we take pride in hosting… Read more »
November 1, 2019
Sightings
The scary wonder of stillness A brief experiment by Ken Rummer Tiny blooms of frost aster show white along the trail, leaves on our maple tree sport a crazy quilt of orange and green and red, and the mid-morning temp is only in the 50s. Here in Iowa, where we take pride in hosting… Read more »
What I’ve Noticed About Retirement So Far 10 Observations from Year Three by Ken Rummer 1. Getting the hang of retirement takes time. People told me it would take a year and a half. Retirement did start to feel less awkward about then. But even now, in my third year of retirement, I’m not… 
Manna — The Biblical Symbol of ‘Enough’ How do we trust God will provide? by Rebecca Crow Lister Does enough exist? Is there ever enough time, money, sleep, love, faith, justice, energy or peace for us? Why does it feel like we are always lacking in these and other areas of our lives? Unknown painter (German),… 
Faith at the Opera Thaïs and Athaniël by Ken Rummer The holiest person in all the land sets out to convert the most notorious sinner. What could possibly go wrong? The story, staged in the opera Thaïs (tah-eece), takes place in Roman Egypt in the AD 300s. Athaniël is a Christian monk renowned for his… 
Back-to-school jitters never go away by Sue Washburn My Facebook feed has been full of first-day-of-school photos, bringing back memories of the excitement and trepidation about what the school year would bring. The week before the big first day would be full of questions: Who will be in my class? Who will I hang out with?… 
Hopeful Yellow Flowers Meeting Mullein by Ken Rummer Velvet leaves shaped like elf ears mount up to a thick spike on which small yellow flowers bloom. I take a picture with my phone. It’s a new plant to me, and growing right beside the trail. Later, I notice others like it on the bank behind… 
Words on Wings Tracks In Mud by Ken Rummer Scrabble tiles and a stuffed bird. The museum plaque identifies the artist as Phil Parker. I’m looking at an assemblage of objects presented in a shadowbox, and yes, that is a bird in there, and Scrabble letters. The wooden tiles stand at attention on two… 
Sunshine and holy sparkles Seeing with the help of partly cloudy by Ken Rummer Pools of light dapple the landscape, and the shaded places, dark by contrast, add drama to the view. I’m looking out at the ordinary magnificence of a partly cloudy day. Sunbeam and cloud shadow slow dance across the scene, turning a… 
God is good Yes, but God is definitely not safe. By Rebecca Crow Lister Several months ago, I had the pleasure of purchasing a used copy of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis. Bargain hunter that I am, I was thrilled, as it is it was only $3.50. It is my favorite… 
Splashdown at graveside A cautionary tale by Ken Rummer It had been a particularly wet spring, and clouds again threatened rain as we arrived at the cemetery. An arched-top tent marked the gravesite, just down the hill. I took my position at the back of the hearse. The pallbearers assembled and, after a few…