Through Death to Life

This sermon was preached at Glenwood & Canoe Ridge Lutheran Churches, Decorah, Iowa, on March 18, 2018. It’s based on John 12:20-33. If you’d prefer to listen to it, find it at https://soundcloud.com/stacey-nalean-carlson/. At this point in our Lenten journey,……

Enough

Today I’ll finally take down the last of the winter decorations, the antique sled by the front door and the evergreen garland trimming the garage. They could have come down weeks ago, I suppose, along with the Christmas tree, and……

Look Up and Live

This sermon was preached at Glenwood & Canoe Ridge Lutheran Churches, Decorah, Iowa, on March 11, 2018. It’s based on John 3:14-21, Psalm 107, and Numbers 21:4-9. If you’d prefer to listen to it, find it at https://soundcloud.com/stacey-nalean-carlson/. For God……

Your Love Endures Forever (Psalm 107)

The appointed psalm for the 4th Sunday in Lent (Year B) is Psalm 107: 1-3, 17-22. I’ve written this poetic paraphrase of the entire psalm to be sung to the tune of My Life Flows On in Endless Song by……

The Rhythm of Life with God

This sermon was preached at Glenwood & Canoe Ridge Lutheran Churches, Decorah, Iowa on March 4, 2018. If you’d prefer to listen to it, find it at https://soundcloud.com/stacey-nalean-carlson/. At choir rehearsal recently, our director referenced an article she had just……

Melting

Melting is messy. I forget this, in my desperation for winter to release its icy grip on the land and on my heart. Melting is messy. In the last few days, our gravel road has become adversarial. Softened and saturated,……

First Things

I’m writing this post while my boys play a raucous game of hide and seek. It seems fitting somehow. Life feels like a game of hide and seek these days. I’ve given up looking for answers, but I sure would……