Bloom!

- - Perhaps this is just me, but I often find that when I go on vacation, I somehow inwardly convince myself that my spiritual life can take a vacation as well. But right before my family left home for a two-week trip this past month, I happened upon the "Prayer for Travelers" in the back of The Book of Common Prayer . I quickly scribbled it down on an index card and stuck it inside my journal--literally as we rushed out the door to go to the airport. - I am so grateful I did, for it not only shaped my prayers as we traveled, but it also gave me rich words to consider and dwell upon throughout the trip. These are the words: "O God, our heavenly Father, whose glory fills the whole creation, and whose presence we find wherever we go: Preserve us as we travel; surround us with your loving care; protect us from every danger; and bring us in safety to our journey's end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." - As I prayed it over and over, I rather accidenta

- -- A trace of where we've been on the web this week . . . - The Dark Hores: Joan of Arc, Elliot Smith, and Me Another excellent article by Christian writer and songwriter Jon Foreman. "You can't be a hero without adversity. Every knight has his dragon to slay, every Joan of Arc has her Hundred Year War. Failure and opposition award us opportunities that success and support cannot." - We'll be taking the week off from blogging next week, but we'll be back to regular posting on June 28. Thanks for your patience and happy summer to you all! - grace & peace, Jessina, Megan, and Joanna -

- - Continuing our new weekly conversations . . . - The deal: Each Thursday, we announce a question of the week. We seek to ask questions that spark interesting conversations, whether it simply be about books, traditions, spiritual disciplines, more theological matters, or anything related to life in general. You can join in our conversations two ways: ---- 1. Leave a comment with your thoughts! ---- 2. Or, if you prefer, post an answer on your own blog and leave us a link to your post so we can comment and add to the conversation. If you post on your own blog, you are welcome to use the picture above as long as you link back to us somewhere in your post. - This week's question . . . a lighter question for the start of the summer . . . - Do you have any special plans for the summer? And if you'd like, please feel free to share one prayer request you might have regarding your summer plans so that we can all lift one another up in prayer. -

- Wednesdays are "book days" around here. And since this is the first Wednesday of the month, Megan, Joanna, and I are sharing what's on our to-read lists for this June. Please feel free to share what you're reading this month, as well--we'd love to hear! - Jessina: - 1 Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison 2 The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life by Os Guinness 3 The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich 4 The Severed Wasp by Madeline L'Engle 5 Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnick 6 Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan 7 Lenten Lands by Douglas Gresham - Joanna: - 1 Authentic Beauty by Leslie Ludy 2 Start Here by Alex and Brett Harris with Elisa Stanford 3 131 Christians Everyone Should Know by Mark Galli and Ted Olsen 4 Love and Respect by Emmerson Eggerichs 5 Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends by Sarah, Stephen, and Grace Mally 6 Heidi's Children by Charles Tritten (Johanna Spyri

- "Our primary calling as followers of Christ is by him, to him, and for him. First and foremost we are called to Someone (God), not to something (such as motherhood, politics, or teaching) or to somewhere (such as the inner city or Outer Mongolia). Our secondary calling, considering who God is as sovereign, is that everyone, everywhere, and in everything should think, speak, live, and act entirely for him. We can therefore properly say as a matter of secondary calling that we are called to homemaking or to the practice of law or to art history. But these and other things are always secondary, never the primary calling." Os Guinness -

- Thank you all (once again) for your patience as the three of us girls went through a bit of a busy season and had to put the blog on hold for a bit. But we're back! And today we're sharing a speech I wrote and spoke at my high school graduation last month. Congratulations to any other 2010 graduates! - - Earlier this week, I was strolling around Barnes and Noble in search of a journal when I happened upon the graduation card display. Glancing at a few of the cards, I read some of the typical cliché phrases found in most every hallmark graduation card. One quoted William Arthur Ward , saying, “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.” Another one quoted Walt Disney , saying, “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” So many of the graduation idioms emphasize our bright futures and the importance of our dreams and hopes. - But I wonder if amidst all of the “inspiring” graduation expressions, and eve