Every single one of us has something that our spouse does that grates on our last nerve. My husband quietly endures my need to walk around with a book open first thing in the morning; while I get dressed, while I make breakfast, sometimes even while I’m tying my shoes for a run. I also have this absurd need to have someone else fill my water bottle. I simply cannot do it for myself. For whatever reason, I like someone doing it for me. My husband and family answer to my cries of “I need water!” and fill my bottle, sometimes kindly, sometimes begrudgingly. It’s weird, but it’s me, and I’m a work in progress.

We inherited great-grandma Gigi’s giant dining room table. It came complete with four leaves, six chairs, and a tiny dot-to-dot print of a house from my mother-in-law’s craft project gone awry. Our table is a huge blessing to me, not because of the weight of the cherry wood or the pretty carving on each chair. It is a blessing because it allows me to gather my family all in one place, even for just a moment, safe and secure.

At a time when the world endures the pain and devastation of sin, the music of the church provides a special comfort. The life of Johann Sebastian Bach, a Lutheran composer of renown, comes to mind on this day, the anniversary of his death, as his music shaped generations of Church music around the world.  This special excerpt from Celebrating the Saints on the life of Johann Sebastian Bach includes a brief biography and ends with a prayer asking God's continued blessings from Bach's and other composer's music:

I returned home from a conference this week. I left careful instructions for my family—mail two letters that needed to go out immediately, eat up the food in the fridge, don’t watch copious amounts of TV, and attempt to keep the house picked up.

This prayer has been well loved by the church for years. Luther’s words accompany many of us each night as we talk with God. As Lutherans, we learn this prayer in childhood.

Luther's morning prayer has been well loved by the church for years. Luther’s words accompany many of us each morning as we talk with God.

The requests continue for help to teach and lead discussion for my novel, Discovered in The Messengers series. And I’m so happy to oblige! I’ve heard that both adult and youth book clubs alike are reading this book (yay!), so I’ll try to touch on some activities and ideas that could apply to both situations. As a leader of your book club (or teacher who is going with a book club vibe for your unit), you’ll want to adapt according to your group.

My husband and I have dreams of a tiny house. We binge eat sharp cheddar cheese and green tea into all hours of the night while watching strange tiny house building shows and making plans to squash all four of our children in one tiny loft with our not-tiny dog.

Springtime is in the air, with all the hope and new life that goes with this change of season. Sadly, there are times when a person cannot even enjoy the promise of newness that our faith gives. Perhaps the winter has been harsh with loss or disappointments. There may be a diminished resiliency for those who have endured many seasons of loss and change.