Author Archives: Jane

Seeing Red

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I originally wrote this material for inclusion in a women’s devotional book on Proverbs. It describes a situation that occurred when I was completing a college internship as a summer park ranger in Southern Oregon.

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“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

Proverbs 15:1, NASB

thX2EURAI7“You’re a communist!” the agitated man shouted. The circle of people tightened around me. I flipped my army-green notepad shut, concealing the license plate numbers I had just recorded.

The leader of the group motioned angrily at my notepad. “Did you put my number in there?”

“Yes, I did,” I answered gently. “You and your friends are camping in an unauthorized site this evening.”

He swore in response. “Ah-h, the next thing you know, these park rangers are going to tell us when we can brush our teeth!” Continue reading →

When Sudden Death Strikes

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th[2]My coworkers and I received the sad news last week that one of our colleagues had passed away. It was a shocking revelation to many, as few knew how ill he was.   Only a few days before his death he had learned that he had stage four cancer.  Most employees hadn’t even heard about the diagnosis, let alone that he was near death. As I sat with my coworkers at his funeral just days ago, many of us were still reeling from the abrupt loss. I couldn’t help but think back to the first time I was faced with the sudden death of a colleague. I was much younger—in my late-twenties, and Jeannette’s passing hit me with much greater intensity. We had not only been teammates in a tight-knit Christian camping ministry,  we were very close friends and neighbors. The post below is based on the article I wrote in response to my first experience with sudden loss and grief. It also turned out to be my first published piece in a national Christian magazine. Continue reading →

The Garage Sale Couch

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I was a contributor to a women’s devotional book on Proverbs years ago.  This post is a re-print of that piece.  I’m happy to report that I have upgraded my couch since then.

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“Do not withhold good . . .when it is in your power to do it.”

Proverbs 3:37, NASB

Kathryn looked gaunt as she approached me after church. Her normally glistening auburn hair hung listlessly.

“Hi, how are you?” I said.

“Not well at all,” she said quietly, her voice quavering slightly.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, shifting uncomfortably.

“My new job hasn’t worked out. I have to be out of my apartment by Friday, and I have no place to stay.” She looked at me with a glimmer of hope.

“Oh, that’s too bad. I’m really sorry,” I said, just as another friend interrupted our conversation.

All evening Kathryn remained on my mind. I sensed the Holy Spirit nudging me. “I have presented you with a need, and you have the means to help.” It was true. I did live alone, and Kathryn could sleep on my garage-sale couch until she found an alternative. Continue reading →

Chronic Fatigue – Vanishing Spoons (Part 2)

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thNVFN4H4ATo understand the full context, I recommend reading Vanishing Spoons (Part 1) first.

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I awoke the next morning feeling like I had been hit by a truck. My head ached and I felt an oozy sickness just asking my brain to process simple tasks. Getting ready for work took Herculean effort. I was clearly experiencing SSD (Serious Spoon Deficit).

Yet off to work I went.   It would not be the first (or the last) time I would press on despite feeling horrible.   Thankfully it was a quiet morning. Although my brain was crying out for reprieve, I urged it to keep performing. I responded to emails, worked on project details, and miraculously drafted coherent correspondence.   I was thankful I had survived the morning, but I knew I had pushed it as far as I could. The proverbial “wall” was fast approaching, and I was on a collision course with it. By noon, my gracious and accommodating supervisor understood that I needed to go home for the day.

That afternoon it all caved in. Continue reading →

Chronic Fatigue – Vanishing Spoons (Part 1)

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The analogy made perfect sense to me. My dear friend, who has courageously struggled with several disabilities throughout her life, passed on a story about a young woman who was trying to describe what it’s like to have limited energy.

“Imagine you are given twelve spoons at the beginning of the day,” the story goes.   Each spoon represents energy expenditure . . . physical, mental, and emotional.   For most people, twelve spoons are more than enough to sail through the day, and they can th73STMV1Aalways go to their silverware drawer and get more, if needed. However, in the case of someone with a chronic illness or disability, seemingly small activities can cause a spoon to disappear before a “normal” person has even touched one. Continue reading →