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Occasional thoughts on faith and every day life in Michigan and overseas
Ruth's Reflections


Sunday Prayer: Grief Is A Strong Word
I was talking to a friend and apologized for the grief that my decision to go overseas is causing everyone. She said, “grief is a strong...
ruthlemmen
Sep 14, 2014


Into the Dark and Wonderful Unknown
A few weeks ago I got Ingrid Michaelson’s new album, Lights Out. The refrain of the song “Wonderful Unknown” strikes me every time I...
ruthlemmen
Aug 26, 2014


Go-With-God
Goodbye. It has such finality. There’s so much longing and sadness. And yet, it is inevitable. We all say goodbye to people and places...
ruthlemmen
Aug 7, 2014


Sunday Prayer: On the Transition Bridge
Today’s prayer is inspired by the concept of the transition bridge and Psalm 46. You are my “refuge and strength, an ever-present help in...
ruthlemmen
Aug 3, 2014


The Transition Bridge
I don’t like transitions. The past year or so of my life has been full of them; I am approaching the one year mark since I was finished...
ruthlemmen
Jul 22, 2014


On the Weight of Stuff
I’ve been spending hours sorting through boxes and piles of my earthly belongings. Pots and pans, dishes, spatulas, potato mashers,...
ruthlemmen
Jun 17, 2014


Sunday Prayer: Breathe on Me
Today, 50 days after Easter, the church celebrates Pentecost. We remember God sending the Holy Spirit to the disciples, the beginnings...
ruthlemmen
Jun 8, 2014


2014 Tulip Project
Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. We should like...
ruthlemmen
Jun 2, 2014


Sunday Prayer: When Things Are Foggy
Faithful God, I’m waiting, wondering, hoping, working. When life seems foggy, and I can’t se through the haze, Help me to wait hopefully,...
ruthlemmen
Jun 1, 2014


Sunday Prayer: Sent to Make Peace
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders,...
ruthlemmen
Apr 26, 2014


Sunday Prayer: Joy!
I don’t think I have ever been this ready to celebrate Easter. So much of the last 18 months of my life has been questions, longing,...
ruthlemmen
Apr 20, 2014


Dust to Dust
Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the day the Western church begins the church season of Lent. We remembered that all of us came from dust...
ruthlemmen
Mar 6, 2014
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