Taryn R. Hutchison's Blog: The Glorious Muddle, page 27

The Burden of Pleasing People

If you live to make people happy, you’ve probably realized it’s an unattainable goal. A burden. Some days you may be closer to fulfilling it, but to get there, you’ve twisted yourself like a pretzel inside and ignored your internal voice that whispers, “Just be yourself.” As Abraham Lincoln said (and I took the liberty to [...]

Sinner Saved by Grace, or Saint who Occasionally Sins?

I remember being asked this question years ago, when I was on a panel with my director. I emphatically answered that I saw myself as a sinner saved by grace (which to me highlights God’s spectacular, totally unmerited gift), and my boss just as assuredly gave the opposite answer, wanting to see himself compassionately, as [...]

One Day

One day can make all the difference. With just one day off work for our annual fall break holiday, added to the weekend for a three-day getaway with Steve, I returned home refreshed.   All those lovely “R” words. Rested. Reinvigorated. Relaxed. Sometimes trips are less than restful. The actual travel time can be tiring. The [...]

Musings on Geology and Architecture

I love much of the vivid imagery and repetitive motifs that I find in the Bible. Light and darkness. Sheep and shepherd.  Vine and branches. Lately, the one that’s been on my mind is that of stones and rock. We read that God is our Rock.  He’s the Rock of Ages. He placed Moses in [...]

I’m so glad for October

Today, in honor of the magnificent season beginning to bedazzle and beguile us with God’s artistry, I thought I’d share some of my favorite autumn reflections.   October by Robert Frost O hushed October morning mild, Thy leaves have ripened to the fall; Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild, Should waste them all. The crows [...]

Why Work

A student just made my day. Standing in line at the Cub’s Pub for my latte, I chatted with the young lady in line behind me. She was buying a macchiato to celebrate that it was almost the weekend. “Now that’s a positive attitude!” I said, thinking it was only Wednesday. She went on to [...]

Usefulness and Service

I know I’ve mentioned before that Steve and I start every day reading from “My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers. Next to the Bible, this is the book I’d want with me if I was marooned on a deserted island. And like God’s Word, the timeless truth contained within never gets old, no [...]

Restoration Rock blog

It’s always fun when someone surprises me by blogging about my book!  Here’s the message the blogger sent me: “I couldn’t wait to get your book and went to my P.O. box last night and smiled. Yes, it had arrived. That said, I just had to post this because the Spirit called me to . [...]

A Time for Everything

Last week, in our morning reading, Steve and I came to the section in the Old Testament describing the New Covenant. These words will always resonate deeply with me; they were my sustenance as I prepared to face my biggest loss when I left Eastern Europe. But the day we read these promises again also happened to [...]

Inscribed and Sealed

Wednesday at sundown, the holiest time of the year for Jewish people begins. Like my Jewish friends, I also believe in the Messiah; the only distinction is that I believe he already came in the person of Christ. As a  Hebrew, Jesus loved to commemorate the holy days. Understanding the symbolism helps me appreciate the richness [...]