I had a toothache yesterday. In fact, I’ve been putting up with the dull throbbing pain in my jaw for a few days now, dreading what it might mean and hoping it would go away. It didn’t. So yesterday, I put on my big girl brave pants and made an appointment to go to my dentist.

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Are we living by chance in God’s kingdom? Recently, I was reminded of the flower petal game–a game of chance to help you “decide” if the object of your affection will return those feelings. Thinking about this game of chance started me thinking about another culturally popular phrase or ideology -random. Maybe you’ve heard a popular phrase these days: “that was random” or “this is so random”.

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Last fall our front yard was an absolute mess! A small truck and a trailer of tools adorned the lawn, while a Caterpillar dug up the driveway and sidewalk and tore out the front porch. Each day presented a bit of a challenge to enter and exit the house. The contractor had a plan in his head, and our entry and egress changed daily as the work progressed. Through the next few months, the yard lay seeded and covered in straw, eventually hidden under a heavy blanket of snow.

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The word ‘fellowship’ is defined as meaning ‘a friendly association, especially with people who share one’s interests.’ It makes sense, especially when aligning with those who share your religious beliefs, political beliefs and perhaps come from similar backgrounds as you and yours. It gets tricky though, when those with whom you sought fellowship in the past now present a different perspective regarding their beliefs and ideals.

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“If I truly am content in God, why am I hurting so much right now? If I truly love God more than I love convenient circumstances, why are these current circumstances breaking me down so much? Maybe the growth I thought I experienced this summer was really just feeling close to God because my life was easier and more restful than it normally is.”

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It’s late August and the corn fields are growing tall here in our corner of southeastern Pennsylvania. They remind me of a favorite movie, Signs, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. I love the suspense, cinematography, soundtrack, and the way it was filmed in locations surrounding Philadelphia, like many of his other movies. If you’re from the area, you probably know that filming took place very close to home in Bucks County. But my favorite thing about the movie is the central conflict which explores how we explain life, death, our purpose and meaning.

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