Stopping to consider the lessons I’ve learned from my opportunities to travel, my perspective on being an American has changed. I came to realize that I thought was gratitude, was actually a form of pride. Gratitude or pride? I don’t think it was intentional, and at best it was subtle, but this sense of pride…
The problem with falling down is not just the initial shock or the pain of blunt force trauma to your backside, but the consternation and wounding of your pride as others look on. Worse than that is when the fall is not physical at all, but a spiritual, emotional or moral tumble that leaves you…
Every day you wake up thinking, “maybe today will be the day someone finds her.” Our story is a common one, unfortunately. Looking for a lost dog, we have heard all kinds of stories about beloved pets who decided to journey into the unknown. So I pray. Of course I pray. The creator of the…
It was a small thing, really, but when I swerved my car to avoid hitting it, somehow the image of that upside-down turtle wouldn’t go away. “Turn around.” It wasn’t a big booming voice, but a quiet whisper of reason. My reasons for not turning around went something like this: “You’ll be late–again.” “There’s no…
Sometimes it is of our own doing. Sometimes it comes because of the hard circumstances of life. That familiar, not so friendly state of feeling frustrated. Desperate. Lonely. Tired. Tired of where we are but not sure how to turn the corner and move past this place that seems, well, muddied. Like the familiar story…
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…
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…
It was a grand adventure. For a young mom with two preschoolers and an infant, taking Daddy to the airport was a HUGE deal. It didn’t happen very often, and the excitement of the trip to the airport helped to ease the anxiety of Daddy leaving for a few days. Seeing that big plane take…
I think it’s time. Time to remember who we are and why we are here. When this day is done, the calendar will say that I am another year older. Birthdays are like that. Twenty four hours measure the day and at the end of 365 days you are reminded that every year–every day we…
When Christmas is coming, and the closet is full of presents yet to be wrapped, what do you do? Clean out the toy box, for goodness sake! I know you’re busy, but maybe–just maybe–you can donate those unused and unloved toys to a charity that will make someone else’s Christmas special. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer…
Sometimes we verbalize it. Other times we only think it. But often it is there. “Why” “Why did this happen?” “Why did this have to happen TO ME?” “Why can’t I….” “Why NOW?” “Why not?” As I am praying and asking God for His favor as we await a judge’s decision in court today, I…
This is one blog you probably don’t want to read. But read it anyway. Give me a chance. Please hear me out, and reserve your criticism for another day, because this issue has to be addressed: God absolutely cares what comes out of your mouth.
Or so it seems. The very definition of happiness can be elusive, so why do we think our pursuit will end in anything other than a temporary feeling? Maybe we should consider the vastness of this chasm: To one, the idea of happiness is found only in the absence of trouble… …while another sees it…
Better grab a cup ‘o brew and sit for a few. Here’s the thing. I am struggling. Since returning from Madagascar, I have wrestled with this idea of blogging. It may not seem like a big deal to anyone but me, but I choose to do this, for me. If I don’t write, I miss…
Here’s the low-down: Prayer is ESSENTIAL. Here’s what it is not: A token of appreciation. A “go-to” when we’re desperate. A “wish list” of our wants. A poetic gesture with magical consequences. IF IT IS ESSENTIAL, then why does it often feel like an anomaly? anomaly [uh-nom-uh-lee]: “An odd, peculiar, or strange condition, situation, quality, etc.” [dictionary.com] It…
