Putting a pen to paper and writing down the things I am grateful for, thankfulness has been at the top of my “essential for survival” list. These are difficult days for so many, and while I am blessed that my life has not been altered financially (yet!) and I have no serious health issues, I…
I will never get used to it. I refuse to call it the “new normal.” Because it’s not. It’s not normal to avoid people or to cover your smile. While I have to accept it, I still struggle. This is a battle that I wrestle with in my mind–the “what ifs” and the “how longs”. …
I woke up this morning with a headache. My brain is on overload from all that is happening out there in the world and in my own family. My faithful pup beside me, I started my prayer time and thought about the gift that this little companion is… “I wonder if dogs get headaches too?”…
A fascinating part of humanity’s very existence is the presence of gravity. Gravity is defined as the fundamental force that pulls us toward the center of the earth; technically, it is what keeps us grounded. In conversation, the use of the word denotes a seriousness or even heaviness of a situation. While gravity is…
Up before dawn, I can hear that it’s raining… again. Still feeling frustrated with life being in such a holding pattern, I face a new day with dread instead of anticipation. It feels as though the days are mundane. Repetitive and lackluster. In the quiet, I confess my lack of gratitude and ask God to…
Expecting my first baby, I was suddenly put on bed rest to prevent premature labor. I was only 28 weeks along and was not even allowed to sit up, rising only to go to the restroom (because I refused to use a bedpan!). The goal was to get me to at least 32 weeks– and…
Waiting is often seen as a unwelcome necessity. Time spent in line, in traffic, or in a doctor’s office is viewed as empty moments that are wasted. The allotted time acceptable for a wait is often preconceived and determined only by our own expectations. Though the clock ticks at the same pace 24 hours a…
Standing on the precipice, I am paralyzed by the sound. ~~~ Unable to move or even think, the waves of fear and grief crash over me like a tsunami. ~~~ Overpowering. Taking over and completely subduing, submerging. ~~~ Drowning, I can see through the crystal clear water that wants to fill my lungs with death:…
“What next?” I don’t often start my mornings with such questions on my mind. I often am startled awake before dawn and make a beeline for a programmed coffee pot stirring my senses with steaming hot goodness. My day starts with coffee and prayer. I have a typical spot to settle as I seek the…
No matter how dark the night, despite what the future may hold, the voice that I hear whispers a tune.. right into my soul. The music is all around us. Can you hear it? In the quiet I am surrounded by the sweet sound of birds outside my window. Oblivious to the human condition these…
My father turned 82 today. Two years ago we found out that he was in Stage 4 kidney failure, and he quickly progressed to end-stage, requiring dialysis to survive. While the damage done to his body cannot be reversed, being hooked up to a machine to rid his body of the toxins has prolonged his…
“Why do bad things happen to good people?” “If God is good, then why is there so much suffering in the world?” Two very important questions that are often asked by those considering Christianity, these are some of life’s hardest questions. Why would I want to tackle them? Because many in our world are asking,…
Young girls carefully slip the perfectly white gloves onto their little hands, working to fit each finger inside the correct hole. Almost instantly, it seems, they are whisked away to a land of make-believe. Transported to another time and place, they begin to speak in a polite accent, go through the motions of being “proper”,…
I long to be the one who makes you smile. From deep within me is a person who wants to be that somebody who makes every person feel like a somebody. I really do want to be an encourager, but far too often I leave a conversation thinking about what I wish I had said. …
We all have them. Those little things that drive us crazy. They flip our switch and spark a fire. The question is, if we want a happy marriage, how do we respond to those little idiosyncrasies that get under our skin? “If you let them, idiosyncrasies can take the joy out of marriage. Those peculiarities…
