by Ellie | Mar 6, 2020 | blog, Uncategorized
730 Broadway, Haverhill MA, was an important address for countless people. Jim and I lived there for 10 years, preceded and followed by many West Church pastors and assorted friends. Built in 1856, the house had character. On the cold, November day we moved in, this...
by Ellie | Feb 20, 2020 | blog, Uncategorized
Wikipedia defines laughter as “a physical reaction in humans, consisting usually of rhythmical, often audible contractions of the diaphragm and other parts of the respiratory system. It is a response to certain external or internal stimuli.” Now you know—maybe. We all...
by Ellie | Jan 31, 2020 | blog, Uncategorized
Did Jesus ever laugh? Too bad our red-letter Bibles don’t come in script form with bracketed cues: [laugh here]. I’ve recently gotten a brand-new perspective on Jesus, not only on His sense of humor, but also on the depth of His compassion and love. Have you heard...
by Ellie | Jan 10, 2020 | blog, Uncategorized
Back in the early years of our marriage, I wasn’t too smart. I thought I was, but events proved otherwise. With Jim having one more year of college before starting seminary, we talked about children. His grocery-checking income was slim, so we decided to wait until...
by Ellie | Dec 13, 2019 | Uncategorized
LAST YEAR, I smashed everyone’s iconic images of Jesus’ birth. Was the manger, in fact, in somebody’s living-room? Click here to see that blog. https://eleanorgustafson.com/uncategorized/rethinking-christmas-1/ THIS YEAR—How about Jesus being born on March 20 of 6...
by Ellie | Dec 3, 2019 | blog, Uncategorized
WE HAVE FRIENDS who were recently evicted from the country in which they had worked for many years. EXILES. Though now safe in this country, adjustment is HUGE. Culture, politics, way of life—nothing is easy. In Old Testament times, the “with it” people of Israel were...
