Sylvia Schroeder


Old Backgrounds, New Creation, and A Happy Father’s Day

What is a “new creation?” Am I one? Are you?  “…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV). Who Gets What? Backgrounds. Everyone has them. They are the backdrop of our todays, the backstory of our narrative. Some people […]

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Boy leaning over wall into a pond. Pondering what are the chances he could fall in?

Pondering What Are The Chances?

This morning I chanced to look out my bedroom window. Water splashed up from the little “pond” in our back yard, as if a fish slapped its surface. A water feature which worked once upon a time before we moved here sits smack dab in the center. Now it is a nonfunctioning fountain of gross. […]

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Is Your Life On Mission?

Tiny baby puffs of air caress my cheek. Her dark hair, fuzzy and soft, tickles against my neck. What can be sweeter than those barely heard snores and the soft breathing of an infant warm against my skin? A crazy little random jerk startles the peace of her sleep now and then, and I smile […]

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Jesus’ Ascension: What Makes This Good-bye Different?

“See that Momma?” a little voice by my side questioned.  His face tilted up toward the sky. His eyes squinted against the brightness. I followed the line from where his finger pointed to see a grouping of magnificent clouds with a golden center. Light streamed through in breathtaking rays.  “That’s how it’s gonna look when […]

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I Wish My Kids Had Known My Mom Like I Did

I wish my kids had known her better, the woman I called Mom. I would like to have them remember how her hands flew over the piano keys, and see the line of piano students that came to the front door for lessons.  I wish they knew how every day after school she waited for […]

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Lazy Little Cheats 

I confess to cheating. I eat a few stolen calories I don’t add to my count. I spend money on an outfit and hope it goes unnoticed. Oh and another really bad one…I cut my walk by skimping off the cul-de-sac.  Sure, I know those aren’t horrible cheats, but the other day I realized how […]

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Precious Scars Invite Faith

Two favorite features on my nose are little grooves that criss cross the surface. They are barely distinguishable, but I’m proud of them. Both remind me of people I love. One reminds me of a brother’s love and care after a screen door mishap. Since I can’t even remember it, he has always felt much […]

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Vizsla dog sitting with sock in his mouth

Where to Set Our Attention in an Attention Shifting World

Thor belongs to four of my grandchildren. He is a Vizsla with a beautiful brown coat and liquid brown eyes which clearly speak dog-beg. He knows exactly how to sit at your feet and patiently ask without saying a word. I’ve watched my grandchildren teach him to set his attention on their command, without shifting […]

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A Passover Rebel and The Lamb

“Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them.” Mark 15:6-8 ESV  If we could […]

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The Tipping Point

Life holds a succession of pivotal moments. They distinguish themselves with phrases like, “from now on,” “if I had it to do all over again, “never again,” or “I’ve made my decision.” But there are sacred tipping points too. I love to hear salvation stories, those unique testimonies of how Jesus found and chose, how […]

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