"Every day my mother would name out loud 3 things she was grateful for. Toward the end of her life, it became increasingly difficult to identify her 3 ... but in the midst of tubes and pain, she still managed to give thanks to the God she had followed all her days." Grace (pseudonym) shared... Continue Reading →
Yet I will…
"Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vine. Though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food. Though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls. Yet I will exult in the Lord. I will... Continue Reading →
Crashing Waves; Eternal Hope
Life comes at us in waves. Sometimes the waves bring the loss of a dear friend, finances in jeopardy, or an unwanted diagnosis. People glibly tell you, God will not give you more than you can handle. This is false theology. The Bible says that trials are coming and they are more than we can... Continue Reading →
Wearing my mother’s jacket
My mother's closet was as fastidious as she - blazers on one side, slacks on the other, and on the shelf, rows of purses and hats (floppy Florida hats, the pinker, the better.) Most everything carried a designer label. After mom's memorial service, the women of the family had eyes for her closet. I was... Continue Reading →
Where is God?
Brett and I are trying to reel in our consumption of cable news which has a habit of playing in the background on our kitchen TV. Staying informed is important, but when the dire images leave you distressed and immobile, it's time to make changes. Our TV now plays the Tennis Channel most of the... Continue Reading →
Swaddled
I was reading Luke's account of the angels visiting the shepherds with the stunning announcement that the Savior had been born. Here's the beloved Linus version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOofCTbv96s One phrase stood out to me like never before. "Wrapped in swaddling clothes". Maybe it's because I am a brand new Grandma and the other day... Continue Reading →
The E Word
James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." There it... Continue Reading →
Never Alone: The Scandalous Love of God
An Advent Devotional Matthew 1:20-23 "But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son,... Continue Reading →
Praise: The Antidote for Sadness
Jeanne and I used to laugh when classroom teachers were smothered in flowers during Teacher Appreciation Week, or when they amassed stacks of Starbucks gift cards during the weeks leading up to Christmas. As reading teachers working in small intervention groups, we might have received a candle that looked like it had been lit, an apple-pin slightly tarnished,... Continue Reading →
