Category: Porch Reflections

The Art of Letting Go

November settles in like a deep breath – soft light, thinning trees, the quiet hum of endings. The earth, dressed in copper and gold, begins her slow surrender. Each leaf that drifts to the ground feels like a gentle sermon on mortality. It is a reminder that even what falls can be beautiful.

We often think of falling as failure, yet nature shows us something different. The leaves don’t resist; they release. They let go not because they’ve lost their worth, but because the season calls for rest. Their falling makes way for new life hidden beneath the soil — unseen but certain.

This rhythm has always inspired artists – those who understand that creation and loss are often entwined. I think of Vincent van Gogh. He found holiness in the simplest things: a field, a tree, a flicker of light at dusk. His brush turned ordinary decay into something sacred, golden. “There is peace even in the storm,” he once wrote. He saw what November teaches us – that life’s beauty is brief, but never wasted.

Maybe that’s what this month is for. It is for learning to release what no longer serves us. It is to hold our loved ones tenderly. We should trust that God’s grace carries us through each changing season. We are part of this same sacred rhythm – blooming, releasing, resting, returning.

So, as you sit on your porch or look out at the swirling leaves, let them speak to your spirit. Let them remind you that endings are not empty, but full of God’s quiet promise.

🍂 A Prayer for November

Lord of every season,
Teach us to let go with grace.
When life changes shape or color,
help us trust the beauty of Your design.
May we see, in every falling leaf, a reminder
that all things return to You — whole, holy, and loved.
Amen.

11/10/2025
Light in the Dark: A Prayerful Halloween Tribute

As autumn deepens and the days grow shorter, we find ourselves surrounded by symbols of both mystery and play. Glowing pumpkins and rustling leaves abound. Children in costumes and flickers of candlelight dance in the dark. Halloween, often seen as a night of fright or fun, carries roots that reach deep into faith and remembrance.

Long before modern celebrations, people referred to the night of October 31st as All Hallows’ Eve. It was the vigil before All Saints’ Day on November 1st. The Church set aside these days to honor the saints who have gone before us. It serves as a reminder that life, even in its ending, bends toward resurrection. In older traditions, families lit candles in windows to guide souls. They wanted to remind the living that death is not an end. Instead, it’s a doorway into God’s eternal light.

The ancient Celts marked this season as Samhain. It was a threshold between summer’s end and winter’s rest. During this time, the veil between the physical and spiritual felt thin. When Christianity took root, this instinct to remember and honor those who came before was baptized with hope. Death transformed not into something to fear. Instead, it became a mystery wrapped in God’s mercy.

Today, our culture still holds traces of that longing. Behind the costumes and candy is a whisper of truth. Light still shines in darkness. Remembrance is sacred. Even the spookiest symbols cannot overshadow the victory of life in Christ.

So this evening, as the trick-or-treaters pass by, pause for a quiet moment on your porch. Candles flicker in carved pumpkins. Offer a prayer for those who have gone before you. Remember your parents, children, and grandparents. Honor the saints and souls in need of rest. Thank God for the gift of laughter, creativity, and community. And whisper gratitude for a faith that teaches us to walk unafraid, even when the night grows long.

🕯️ A Simple Prayer

Lord of light and life,
As shadows lengthen and the world grows still,
Let Your presence be our lantern.
Bless the children who laugh tonight,
The saints who watch over us,
And the souls who rest in Your peace.
May we carry kindness into every dark place,
And remember that Your love conquers fear.

Amen.

10/31/2025
Listening and Love: The Heart of Nursing Home Care

This morning, I sit on the porch with a warm cup of coffee. There is a chill of autumn in the air. My heart turns to the place where I spend time each month -the nursing home. It’s a space filled with quiet holiness, where God’s presence is often felt in the smallest, simplest acts of care.

Each morning begins with a “Good morning,” a greeting that can shape someone’s entire day. Waking residents, offering a smile, and speaking with gentleness – these are sacred moments. It’s humbling to realize that the tone of your voice will be the first kindness someone hears all day.

Throughout the day, there are stories. Memories shared by those who drift in and out of the present moment. Sometimes, words come slowly or wander into another time entirely. Yet, listening – truly listening – becomes an act of love. In those conversations, I see glimpses of who they once were. They were children who ran and played. They were young adults with dreams. They became parents who built families and people who created and loved deeply.

The nursing home is often their final home. Some have few visitors, and holidays can feel long and lonely. But the care team – nurses, CNAs, housekeepers, therapists – they become family. Nurses move quickly, hearts steady even when their feet are weary. CNAs respond to every light above a door, carrying both patience and compassion through every shift. Housekeepers often feel unnoticed yet they bring warmth through quiet service. One lady who comes to mind, fills the halls with hymns that soften the air and lift the spirit.

In these moments, I am reminded: this is holy ground. Each task, no matter how small, is an act of love offered to the people of God.

Today, on my day off, I pause to give thanks. I am grateful for the privilege of serving. I appreciate the beauty in aging. I honor the sacredness of care. I thank God for the sparkle in a resident’s eyes. I am thankful for the courage of my coworkers. I am also grateful for the still, small ways His presence moves through our hands and hearts.

May we each remember that love doesn’t need to be loud to be life-changing. Sometimes it looks like listening, holding a hand, or simply saying, “Good morning, I’m glad you’re here.”

Lord, thank You for the gift of serving others in Your name.
Bless every caregiver, every nurse, every housekeeper, every soul who enters those halls.
Let our words carry comfort, our hands bring peace, and our hearts reflect Your love.
Remind us that each act of care is sacred in Your eyes.
Amen. 🌿

10/25/2025
The Power of Small Acts of Generosity

Generosity doesn’t always come wrapped in a donation or a grand gesture. Often, it’s found in the smallest acts.It may be a kind word. It could be a moment of patience. It might be the willingness to truly listen when someone needs to be heard. It’s the gift of presence. It’s the offering of grace when others might offer judgment. It’s the courage to give even when life feels uncertain.

Time and attention have become our most valuable currencies in today’s world. Generosity of spirit offers both a radical and healing approach. It’s choosing to respond gently when it would be easier to react sharply. It’s offering forgiveness, encouragement, or understanding especially when no one is watching.

Generosity begins in the heart. It’s not about giving because we have enough, but because we are enough. When we give from a place of love and faith, something sacred happens: joy multiplies. It ripples outward, transforming not just the receiver but the giver too.

As we move through our days, may we look for small ways to live generously. Let us be generous with our time. Use our words wisely. Be attentive in our listening. Share our love freely. The world grows kinder when we do.

Lord, teach us to give not from abundance, but from love. Let our hearts be generous with our words, our patience, and our presence. May we remember that kindness multiplies when shared.

What’s one small way you can practice generosity today – with your time, your words, or your heart?

10/21/2025

Civil Disobedience and Conscience: A Modern Reflection

I step out onto my little back porch – the dusk settling over the trees, the hush before voices rise. On this threshold between inside and out, I’m drawn to a stirring in my spirit. I remember a 19th-century man from Concord, MA who dared to question law and power. He did this by refusing to pay unjust taxes. His name was Henry David Thoreau. Henry was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading transcendentalist, he is best known for his book Walden. It is a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings. He is also renowned for his essay “Civil Disobedience,” which argues in favor of citizen disobedience against an unjust state.

Thoreau believed that “that government is best which governs least.” He also thought that “that government which governs not at all” would eventually be true. He argued for the primacy of conscience over blind obedience. He saw that participating in injustice even by compliance has the ability to corrupt the soul. Thus, he refused to pay a poll tax that funded a government complicit in slavery and aggressive war.

Many will gather this year on October 18, 2025 for No Kings Day. This day is a modern echo of Thoreau’s conviction that true freedom requires accountability. The movement asserts that power does not belong to monarchs or unchecked rulers. Power belongs to the people who live by conscience and community.

On my porch, I sense the same quiet courage Thoreau once wrote about. It is the kind that begins not in crowds or slogans. It begins in silence. Resistance often starts with stillness. It is a whispered prayer. It is a question that refuses to be silenced. It is a heart that chooses what is right even when it is not easy.

✦ Then and Now, Side by Side

Aspect	Thoreau’s Time	Our Time
Injustice	Slavery, unjust wars	Civil rights, truth, equality
Conscience	One man in jail for refusing injustice	Many voices rising for justice
Courage	Moral resistance	Peaceful action
Spiritual focus	Integrity and truth before God	Faith and justice intertwined

Sit quietly tonight. Let the air around you settle.
Ask yourself: What authority shapes my choices? Where must I resist?
Pray for courage — not anger, but steady conviction.
Listen for the voice that calls you to act with peace, not pride.
Choose one small act that reflects integrity: a letter, a donation, a conversation, a prayer.

🕊️ A Prayer for Courage and Conscience

O God of justice and mercy,
Let our voices, our breath, our small steps be part of Your work.
Grant us the courage to stand when power grows unjust. Help us to resist with love, not hatred. We will yield our conscience to You alone.
May we walk in freedom, grounded in truth and guided by peace.
Amen.

As we stand for justice and conscience, may we also stand for safety and peace. Civil disobedience, in its truest form, is never about destruction – it’s about devotion to what is right and human. When we act, may we do so with wisdom, empathy, and restraint. We should remember that the little eyes watching us learn from how we respond to the world.

Our children will one day inherit the society we shape today. Let them see that courage can be kind. Let them see that conviction can coexist with compassion.

Porch Question:

How can your quiet courage become the light your children see and remember?

10/16/2025

Finding Stillness: Inner Peace on My Back Porch

On my little back porch – The quiet moments come before the world fully wakes. The sunlight spilling gently across the floorboards. The leaves rustling, whispering their morning prayer. This porch has become a sacred space – a threshold between the outer world and the inner one.

As I settle into that quiet space, I find myself drawn to the life and wisdom of St. Teresa of Ávila, a 16th-century nun, mystic, and reformer whose words still stir hearts centuries later. Teresa’s writings invite us to explore prayer. They also encourage us to delve into the deep interior life. It is that tender meeting place where our soul communes with God.

In her masterpiece, The Interior Castle, St. Teresa describes the soul as a grand castle made of crystal. It is full of rooms that lead ever inward toward the center. This is the place where God dwells.

She wrote that many people live only in the outer courtyards, busy and distracted, unaware of the beauty within. The spiritual journey, she said, involves moving deeper into those inner rooms. This is achieved through prayer, humility, and love. These practices help us rest in God’s presence at the very heart of our being.

That image feels so close to what I experience on the porch. When I quiet my mind and let the noise settle, I can feel myself moving inward. I transition from thought, to breath, to stillness. This brings me closer to the One who loves me completely.

St. Teresa also compared prayer to watering a garden. At first, she said, it takes effort – drawing water by hand, tending each plant carefully. But over time, as we grow in trust, the garden begins to water itself through rain – grace freely given.

In her words:

“The soul is like a garden, and the Lord delights to walk among its flowers.”

Maybe our porch time is like that early watering. These are quiet moments when we show up weary or hopeful. We trust that something beautiful is being tended in us, even when we can’t yet see it blooming.

🪷 How to Pray Like Teresa

Here are a few simple ways to bring her spirit to your own porch:

1. Begin with Stillness
Sit quietly. Notice your breath. Let the outer rooms of your mind settle. You don’t need to do anything – just be present.

2. Offer Humble Prayer
Teresa reminds us that humility is the doorway to God’s love. Speak simply, as if to a dear friend. Tell Him your joys, your weariness, your longing.

3. Rest in Silence
After speaking, stay a moment longer. Don’t rush away. This is the heart of prayer – the space where words end and presence begins.

Perhaps the porch – that small, humble space between inside and out – is a reflection of Teresa’s inner castle. It’s where heaven meets earth, where our busyness softens into prayer.

Today, you don’t have to find perfection in your spiritual life. Just step into the next “room.” Move a little deeper into your own heart. Trust that God is already waiting there.

Lord,
Teach me to enter the quiet places of my heart.
Help me to water the garden of my soul with gentle trust.
May I meet You there in stillness and simplicity. Let me learn to rest in Your love. Teresa did this, faithful and free.
Amen.

Which “room” of your inner life are you being invited into today — stillness, trust, surrender, or joy?

10/15/2025
Opening Your Heart: Lessons from a Hen

Sometimes, grace arrives in the most surprising forms – like a small hen showing up on your doorstep.

That’s exactly what happened to my daughter this week. Out of nowhere, a sweet hen began appearing at her door every morning. No one nearby seemed to know where she came from. She simply arrived, as if she had decided, “This is my home now.”

For several days, the hen returned faithfully. A sweet bird with nowhere to belong, looking for safety and care. My daughter and her husband watched her come and go. Finally, they decided to give her a proper coop. It was a new home. They gave her shelter, food, and a place to rest.

And isn’t that just how love often begins?
We notice something or someone in need.
We think about it for a while, maybe hesitate.
And then, when our hearts soften just enough – we make room.

Sometimes God sends us reminders of His own tenderness in feathers and quiet persistence. This little hen came looking for a home. She brought a message. Love often finds us first. It asks gently if we have space to care, to trust, and to nurture again.

Maybe something in your life has been quietly showing up.
What would it look like to open the door, to make room, to offer a small space of belonging?

Thank You Lord for the tender reminders You send in simple ways. You place a small creature at the door. You offer a moment of quiet invitation.
Teach us to notice what seeks shelter near us,
to open our hearts with kindness and care.
May our homes – and our lives –
be places where Your love finds welcome.
Amen.

10/08/2025
The Power of Forgiveness: Healing Through Accountability

Forgiveness is one of the hardest, most powerful gifts we can give. It asks us to soften where we’ve been hurt. It also calls the other person to face the impact of their actions.

Sometimes we think forgiveness means “forgetting” or pretending it didn’t matter. But true forgiveness isn’t about excusing. It’s about naming the hurt honestly and then making space for healing on both sides.

In relationships, forgiveness often works best when it’s paired with accountability. An apology can open the door, but reflection and change are what keep that door open. Growth happens when we pause long enough to ask: How did my words or actions affect someone else? What can I do to repair the harm and live differently going forward?

Forgiveness doesn’t erase the past. It creates the possibility of a different future.

Think about a time you’ve been hurt. Did the other person’s willingness to change impact your ability to forgive? How might accountability and compassion walk hand in hand in your own relationships?

God, help me to be honest about what hurts, and courageous enough to forgive. Teach me how to hold others accountable with love. Help me keep my heart open to the possibility of growth for myself and for those around me. Amen.

Where in your life right now could forgiveness open the door to growth?

10/02/2025
Finding Peace in Uncertain Times

It’s no secret that life in America feels unsettled right now. The news is heavy, conversations can quickly become divided, and many of us carry quiet worries about the future. It’s hard not to feel the tension.

Even in seasons like this, there are places of steadiness we can return to. These include kindness, listening, and the simple act of being present with one another. These aren’t small things. They are bridges that help us move beyond the noise and back toward our shared humanity.

Scripture reminds us of peace for those who walk in faith. It says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (John 14:27). For all of us, peace can become a practice. No matter our background, we can choose calm when everything around us feels uncertain.

The world around us can feel shaky. Slowing down is important. Choosing how we respond can be a quiet act of courage. A kind word, a pause before reacting, or even taking time away from screens to rest – these choices matter. They remind us that while we can’t control everything, we can nurture peace within ourselves and offer it to others.

A Porch Reflection ✨

When was the last time you felt truly steady – even for just a moment? What helped you feel that way, and how might you return to it this week?

End your day by naming one way you showed kindness, however small.

Take a break from headlines today. Step outside, notice the air, the light, the quiet.

Before a conversation that might feel tense, pause and remind yourself: “This person has fears and hopes, just like me.”

Some families and communities find it helpful to have a prayer bowl on the coffee table. They place it in a room where they gather to pray. Whenever someone asks for prayer, they write the request on a little piece of paper. They put the paper in the bowl. When it’s time for morning or evening prayer, each person can take a few slips of paper from the bowl. They read the requests. This is also a good way to remember people we don’t see every day. We can think of children in war zones. We should also consider victims of human trafficking.

We may not solve every challenge in our nation overnight. Together, we can create circles of peace. And when those circles overlap – porch by porch, heart by heart – something steadier begins to grow.

09/29/2025
Trusting God in Life’s Uncertainties

Sometimes life doesn’t unfold in neat categories. Plans fall through, outcomes aren’t clear, and we’re left holding the tension of what feels uncertain. We often want answers in black or white, right or wrong, but much of life happens in the in-between.

It’s in these gray spaces that God often does His deepest work. Proverbs 16:9 reminds us, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” When our plans change, it’s not always about success or failure. It’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about trusting God with the middle ground.

Gratitude becomes the practice that steadies us here. It helps us notice that even in the half-formed, unplanned, or uncertain moments, there is still good. Gratitude doesn’t erase the hard. It helps us see God’s hand at work in the midst of it.

A Porch Reflection ✨

Think about a time when things didn’t go exactly right—or exactly wrong. Maybe it was simply different than you planned. With hindsight, can you see a blessing that came through the “middle ground”?

Sometimes it’s not about labeling the moment—it’s about learning to hold it with open hands and a thankful heart.

“Lord, teach me to let go of needing every answer to be black or white. Help me to rest in the gray places, trusting that You are guiding me even there. Grow in me a spirit of gratitude, so I can see Your presence in both the planned and the unexpected. Amen.”

Where in your life right now do you feel caught between black and white? How does gratitude shift the way you see that space?

09/23/2025