Author Archives: joyocala

My daughter, Caroline, is expecting her first child. This has me thinking a lot about parenting and remembering when she was little. There are a lot of things I wish I’d known before I had children. There are times I … Continue reading →

Life gives us opportunities to serve with Joy. In my congregation that is literally the case! It’s the name of our church. With those “God-winks” that give us the green light, with the Holy Spirit’s backing, comes the permission to … Continue reading →

For one more Monday, I bring to you a hymn, “Bring Peace to Earth Again.”   (#700 in the Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal).  In a world marked by violence and brokenness, this is a lament and prayer for peace.  Drawing on … Continue reading →

One of the lessons I learned from my dad has revisited my mind lately. He had a strong faith that I witnessed on many occasions.  We were walking one evening and I asked if he was nervous about an upcoming cancer … Continue reading →

I always find good books when I go “thrifting”. On a recent shopping trip, I found a book I am enjoying reading.  It is entitled “Holy Moments: A Handbook for the Rest of Your Life” by Matthew Kelly. The premise … Continue reading →

The other morning, while enjoying the serenity of the quiet lake, I noticed some commotion to my right by the point. We have a gaggle of Canadian Geese living at the lake this summer. I am not sure why they … Continue reading →

Sometimes I read something that hits like an electric shock. “This is talking about me!” Here’s an example for you from detective novelist and Christian writer Dorothy L. Sayers. “I think I have never heard a sermon preached on the … Continue reading →

I knew a man named Bernie. He never used his full name, Bernhard, because he hated being named after a dog. I tried to convince him that he was probably named after  Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, but he never accepted … Continue reading →

In Paul’s letters to the Corinthians and Romans, I was struck by the observation that the twelfth chapters of these books talk about the body of Christ, meaning the church. Twelve disciples, twelve tribes. Hmmmm.. It’s only coincidence, because Paul … Continue reading →

“Here, O Lord, Your Servants Gather,” a hymn celebrating Christian unity, comes to us from Japan. In Japanese: Sekai no tomo to te o tsunagi. The hymn was written in Japanese by a Methodist pastor, Tokuo Yamaguichi.  (1900-1995)  It was composed … Continue reading →