God’s guidance
The Speed of Change
I was reading an article the other day on the Catholic Synod that started earlier this month. If you aren’t familiar, this “Synod on Synodality” convened bishops from all around the world to pray for God’s direction for the Catholic Church. Through a series of meetings, this global gathering will culminate in a document of…
Percussive Boom
Add this to the list of weird things that have happened to me. I was running my dog outside before a work-from-home meeting (that part is not unusual), when my shoes crunched across something unexpected in the driveway. Glass. Thick brown shards of it extending from my puppy’s poo pail across the width of my…
I Need You to be Okay Without Me
This post is about my dog. And about so much more than my dog. It’s also about me, and possibly you, too. You see, when the pandemic hit, I was one of the lucky ones. Through a series of fortunate arrangements, I have been working remotely for the past two years. My dog loves this…
Thinking Sad. And How Not To.
Sometimes there are sad thoughts I have to think. Life, it turns out, is not always happy. But sometimes there are sad thoughts I don’t have to think… and I think them anyway. I bet this has happened to you, too: I could be going about my day seemingly fine and the next thing I…
It’s Time
The new year is a good time to think about new beginnings, but it certainly isn’t the only time. Into creation God has built cycles, seasons, and even mandates that prompt us to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and start all over again. And again. From the beginning, God established a 7-day cycle of…
Making Sense of it All
“It doesn’t have to make sense, it has to make faith.” I was in a small group discussion where one of the ladies was relaying a conversation she had with a pastor. As someone who likes to make sense of everything, I was struck by this point. Sometimes things would be easier to endure if…
Crazed. Or Not. Finding Balance in the Midst of Extremes.
There is a good kind of stress. If you’ve always thought of stress as a four letter word in the plural, then this may come as a surprise. But it’s true. It’s even reasonable, once I stopped to consider it. An environment with absolutely no stress is an environment void of stimulation or purpose. As…
How I Started Recycling: An analogy of our Father’s method for change
I recycle because I have a friend who recycles. I mean, I have a friend who recycles. She carries a bag with her when she goes on walks simply so she can pick up trash. When she comes to visit, she brings me all the recyclables she can’t recycle in her own town, because my town…
Who Invented Dental Floss
I heard the comment once that conversations never end in ”I don’t know” anymore. Inevitably someone will whip out their cell phone and ask Siri, and the answer magically will appear. This was certainly the case for me the other night when I was – you guessed it – flossing my teeth. Perhaps you’ve never…
Shoveling Rain
The storm started as rain. Cold and pelting. Then sluicing. Then softer. The quality of the sound changed, the texture of the rain changed, and I knew it was time for action. By the time I bundled into winter gear and opened the door, giant white flakes were soaking into the wetness. Slush coated every…
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Meet Janet!
Janet Beagle, PhD is the founder of The Mustard Patch. She divides her time between the Midwest and New England, and if she’s not writing, she’s probably out hiking with her 2-and 4-footed friends.