He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I love asking people of faith about their practices. Cathy says she is reading through the whole Bible with the Moody Bible Commentary by her side. She also reads a daily devotional called Jesus Calling. Susie writes verses on index cards and places them on her car's dashboard and the bathroom mirror. She is memorizing... Continue Reading →
You are precious in my eyes. And honored. And I love you. Isaiah 43:4a When I first read this verse I did a double take. How is it I never heard it before? Surely this was a loose paraphrase of the ancient text. And surely God was referring to the nation of Israel, 700... Continue Reading →
Ten round kindergarten faces stare at my mother, eyes saucer-big. She's waving her hands in the air lamenting with the bride's father that the wine has run out. Then she's Mary pleading to her son for a miracle - Jesus reluctant at first, but finally producing the best wine Cana can offer. Mom deftly drops... Continue Reading →
I was sneaking into the kitchen for a nighttime bowl of Cheerios when I noticed the door to my parents' bedroom was slightly ajar. That's when I caught sight of the two of them, my stately mother and proud father, their backs to me, kneeling by the bed - their faces prone on the daisy... Continue Reading →
For my 11th birthday my parents got me a suitcase. It was probably designer labeled. All I remember is it was large and red and foretold of trips to come. The following summer my suitcase and I spent 8 weeks at a summer camp in Maine. That first night the chirpy counselors gave us postcards... Continue Reading →
My niece is sending the following verses to her son as he embarks on his Ranger training in rural Georgia. We may not be facing Ranger-like tests, but when we grow faint-hearted, weary, tired, may these promises bring us hope and encouragement. "Do you not know? Have you not heard that the Lord, the everlasting... Continue Reading →
"I think I ruined my friend's retirement plan," the speaker joked. "My friend had been aggressively planning for the day when he could quit his job and do nothing but play golf. Now, I love golf. But how much golf can you actually play? I decided to challenge his plan. So, when you get to Heaven,... Continue Reading →
In the midst of praying, a voice murmurs, "Really, now... you actually believe God cares about THIS? And really, now, has God truly forgiven you for THAT?" My prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling. One would think I could squelch this voice - being a decades long follower of Jesus. Lately, however, I've discovered... Continue Reading →
In the movie, Phenomenon, George, played by John Travolta, is attracted to Lace (Keira Sedgwick) who makes rocking chairs out of branches and twigs and tries to sell them at the local store. The chairs are uncomfortable and don't sell. So George, unbeknownst to Lace, goes to the store once a week to buy a... Continue Reading →
My mother was fond of saying, "That Betty (or Sally or Suzy) is SO attractive." That meant Betty was pretty and thin. Most of all it meant she was pretty and it left me wondering (short, tubby me with pigtails), Was I attractive? Mom had a habit of giving you a once-over and commenting on weight,... Continue Reading →
There were only two words on that 1965 postcard. OV OU. On the back - a glistening ski slope, an impossibly blue backdrop, spearing sunbeams. My parents and older brother had gone skiing in Vermont and I was (inexplicably) left home with Mrs. Tidd, the babysitter. OV OU? Then it came to me. OV was... Continue Reading →
Things I try to avoid -- public speaking, mingling at a work-related social gathering, introducing people to each another (when the name of your best friend of 30 years inexplicably flees from your brain). Team building, role-playing, and of course, karaoke. I admit it. I want an Easy Life. A fulfilling job with moderate stress.... Continue Reading →
"Being a mom can be so isolating," Margie shares. The heads of other fresh-faced moms are nodding. Then Christie, of older years, adds, "Just wait till they leave the nest. That's when you'll really feel isolated." Several women chuckle. Myself included. Whether you're overwhelmed by non-stop toddlers or transporting pre-teens to impossibly long swim meets... Continue Reading →
Brett is looking sharp in khakis and a button down shirt, his tie bearing Floridian brightness. My brother, Charles, and his wife, Jil, are also in country club attire. I have on a black dress - a safe choice. I'm wearing that pearl necklace Mom gave me. Nice touch. We are aggressively sipping white wine... Continue Reading →
In our younger years we imagine Big Things. Publishing a book - followed by a book tour. Securing promotions and sizable salaries. Becoming competent in a field with initials after our name. Alleviating poverty, improving literacy, advocating for the downtrodden. Magnificent marriages and perfect parenting -- our children "rising up and calling us blessed" (a... Continue Reading →
Shadows and Shelters 