These are not soft hands. They are tough and worn and calloused. Eighty years of use. I’m sure I did, but I don’t remember holding my Dad’s hand when I was small. We never had a Daddy-Daughter dance. Unless dancing around important topics counts. You see, my Dad is not much on words or sentiment.…
I know. Flowers wilt. And yes, flowers fade. But… The delight that the beauty of a flower brings for a season or even for the moment is priceless. My mother and I share a love for anything blooming. Since her stroke, there have been hard days, but there have been good days. The good days…
Some days it is only a flicker. But even the smallest light will shine in the darkness. Being human means that I don’t always feel like living up to the world’s definition of “Shine”, but God’s definition is a very different one: At that time, when you call, the Lord will answer; when you cry out, He…
You have a gauge that tells you it’s time to fill up, and you know the consequences that follow if you ignore that little warning… Stop. Do not pass “go”, DO NOT chance it. Do not do another thing until you put some gas in that tank. The simple task of refueling changes everything, and…
Yep. It’s one of those days. Gray and cloudy and cold and wet. On the outside too. Begging for just a hint of sunshine to brighten the day…
Yes, I know. In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John we see “The Gospel According to…”, but in the Acts of the Apostles we see the gospel in action. The Gospel: the “good news” of Jesus the Messiah who came to bring salvation to all who place their faith in Him. While the first four books…
On an ordinary day I might be running in to pick up a few groceries, rushing to check things off my list, barely noticing those around me. But she found me. I don’t know if I looked kind (I certainly hope so) or non-threatening, but when I turned to the timid, “Excuse me, ma’am” I…
“What’s love got to do with it, got to do with it…” “What’s love, but a second-hand emotion…” You’re welcome. Get that stuck in your head. Sing it all day and wake up with it on your brain at 3 a.m. And let it sink in deep..…all the way down to your heart. Because love…
We all do it. Putting up walls around our heart to protect us from more pain. More hurt. And we think we’re doing it to be safe. Only the walls that we put up sometimes become our prison. What we think we’ve done to protect ourselves has, in reality, caused us to hide behind the…
Some days I don’t feel like praying, but I do anyway. Thank goodness I learned a very long time ago, that our faith cannot be based on feelings. But I’m tired. I’m tired of crying. Tired of pleading. Tired of begging. I’m tired of praying. Praying for that situation, that person, that problem. I know. …
It is inevitable, you know. Those precious babies melt your heart and then… one day, they break it. DISCLAIMER: I am an empty-nester, and I was by no means a perfect parent. This isn’t a blog about one of my children or grandchildren. It is a reflection on the times that my perfectly imperfect children messed…
“Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.” Rev. Billy Graham 1918-2018 It’s all a matter of perspective. This life…
Grief is lonely. The tragedy of another school shooting on Valentines Day has our nation grieving. I cannot imagine the horror of this nightmare in the hearts and minds of so many parents, siblings, grandparents, teachers. So many who are hurting. Those of us watching it on the news and reading about it online are…
“Roses are red, violets are blue. You make me smile.” If I received a rose every single day and feasted on chocolate at night, but didn’t have you, there would be no delight. Expressions of love can come in a package but the best ones of all are wrapped in a smile. And you…
The adoption process is a whirlwind of emotions. Allowing your heart to be vulnerable to the ups and downs of this journey takes more than just sacrifice– it takes stamina. Holding on to hope for what is best for a child takes willpower and true grit. Stubbornly fighting for the rights of a child demands…
