Life

by Ann Milliken Pederson— For the fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and humans have no advantage over animals; for all is vanity (Ecclesiastes 3:19). But thanks be to God, who in Christ...

by Sarah Carson— I am the proud parent of two rescue dogs. I adopted Amos, a hound mix, when he was 6 months old. He’d been abandoned in the former home of his original family, and despite all of the snuggles and walks and yummy treats he’s had in the past 13 years,...

by Bev Stratton— I remember reading Grandma’s letters when I was a child. I wondered how she could go to so many funerals. Now my mother is the one who attends many funerals, and soon it will be me. ORDINARY DEATH Death and grieving are ordinary parts of life. If we...

by Sonia C. Solomonson— Several years ago I facilitated a five-session class on grief and loss in my congregation. The turnout was lower than the pastors had hoped. Why? Several members told the pastors that they didn’t want to talk about that depressing subject....

by Liv Larson Andrews-- Grief knows us before we know grief. Our bodies usually know it first. Deep in our bodies, we long for a community to share—and sing—our grief with us. On Ash Wednesday in 2018, my younger son was ill. For about 24 hours, he hadn’t been able to...

by Elizabeth Hunter— Like a speed trap for an unwary traveler, sorrow catches me when I least expect it: while driving down a familiar road, singing a favorite hymn in church or sharing a simple childhood memory with my kids. It can lurk just around the bend, in the...

by Linda Post Bushkofsky— I'll be the first to admit I’ve not always made self-care a priority, so the topic of stewardship of emotions (and all that we are) in this issue really intrigues me. When I was in my 20s and 30s, self-care seemed unnecessary. I thought I...

by Cindy Novak-- For generations Lutheran women have used their skills as quilters, knitters and fabric artists to serve others. Perhaps most famously, they have sewn quilts for Lutheran World Relief, providing warmth and comfort to those facing poverty, conflict and...

By Cara Strickland— For so much of my life I worried about being angry. There’s a verse in Ephesians—perhaps you know it—that reads: “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger” (Ephesians 4:26). First as a child, then as a young adult, I...