-
Cast Your Burden Upon the Lord
If you are reading this, there’s a good chance I owe you a sincere apology. Please allow me to explain. I’m an introvert by nature. Please don’t translate ‘introvert’ as anti-social, shy, or unfriendly. I am happy to socialize and have deep meaningful friendships. However, I do find socializing draining and need time to recharge my batteries before I go out and ‘people’ again. Another struggle as an introvert is that my inner world is where I tend to mentally live. The past, the future, or even inside my imagination are preferred happy places. I’m not incapable of living in the moment. I just know that if I have to…
-
Faith or Fear
My family has an unusual holiday tradition. Our Thanksgiving meal is not the Norman Rockwell painting “Freedom from Want” turkey and trimmings. It began that way though. For the first ten years of marriage and motherhood, I would attempt to faithfully recreate the Thanksgiving meal that I grew up with. I would spend what felt like an eternity in the kitchen chopping, peeling, boiling, and baking all in preparation for …… whining. “Do we have to eat that?” was the nasal chorus I would hear from my ( then) four children. I would grit my teeth and threaten them with vacations to Third World countries in futile attempts to increase…
-
Draw Near
James 4:8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” This scripture came to mind when my son came running to show me that a rainbow had appeared over my neighbor’s backyard. I quickly ran to the window in the hopes I wouldn’t miss it. Yesterday I began a much-needed break from reading the news because it was impacting my time spent with God and also souring my attitude. I had begun to think of my fellow globe sharers as all this or all that. I knew I had slid down a slippery slope. This picture was taken by my son, and I took note of the…
-
Whatever is Lovely
I take daily walks in my local cemetery. It may seem a little creepy if you’re afraid of that sort of thing, but I find it very peaceful as I have a large family and the cemetery is typically fairly quiet. There are other walkers beside myself that favor the same route, even in winter. There are loads of trees inside the cemetery proper, and woods surrounding it. Although I love summer for all its glory, winter has its own flora and fauna if you keep your eyes open. I have a confession. Lately, I have let myself get really distracted by world events. In short order, I found myself…
-
The God Squad
Recently the pastor at my church preached a sermon about Jesus healing a paralyzed man at Capernaum. *Spark Notes version – four men are so determined to get their paralyzed friend to Jesus for healing that they are willing to rip open a roof and hand-deliver their friend straight down to Jesus to circumvent the crowds. Here’s the passage from Mark 2:1 -12. A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried…
-
Dear Mom
You may be reading this from your hospital bed as many people, including me, pray for your recovery. Or you may choose to not read it at all. I wanted to find a way to reach you quicker than snail mail and I chose my blog because it’s possible this letter to you may benefit others who struggle as you do. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23. This was written by King Solomon and he was speaking of diligently guarding the wisdom in your heart, keeping it safe from being corrupted by evil. “The Bible warns us to avoid a double…
-
Patience and Popsicles
In the book of Exodus in the Bible, God rescues the enslaved Israelites from their Egyptian captors. King Ramses II is the reigning Pharaoh of Egypt and after witnessing God’s mighty displays of power through a series of ten plagues, Ramses reluctantly allows the Hebrews to leave. Ramses’ decision lasts about a couple of hours, maximum. Ramses sends the Egyptian army after the Israelites, in the hopes of slaughtering them all. The Hebrews are trapped. Pharaoh’s army behind them, the Red Sea in front of them. Death by sword or drowning, neither choice palatable. God parts the Red Sea, allowing just the Israelites to make it to safety, and then…
-
Last Christmas
“Last Christmas I gave you my heart… But the very next day you gave it away… This year to save me from tears… I’ll give it to someone special.” The Last Christmas song by Wham was a chart-topping hit in 1984 and 1985, respectively. I think the song has a timeless appeal because we believe we can make next Christmas perfect, or at least a lot better if we just make the ‘right choice.’ About fifteen years ago, I decided to return to college to achieve my bachelor’s degree. I have a very large family so instead of a four-year degree path, the journey to my diploma took nine years. …
-
The Christmas Fruit Basket
I wrote this four years ago. It felt appropriate to update it now. 2017 – Confession ~ Our family received a holiday fruit basket last week. I am 47 but I acted like a 4-year-old upon receiving it. Ungrateful. I delayed thanking the gift-givers (a couple) – and the husband called me to check if it was received. Sheepishly, I thanked him profusely and apologized for being late with thanking them. He shared with me that his wife had had surgery a few months prior – and the co-pay had come due. $35,000. Instead of dragging out the medical payments, they had paid the balance. I didn’t ask how –…
-
How I Came to Christ
Twenty-nine years ago, I was a newly minted wife and mother. I had a toddler daughter and a son in my womb, ready to be born within days. I should have been happy – fulfilled – but I knew deep down, that something was missing. It wasn’t something though. I had tried all the things that I thought should fill this nagging aching void. I had tried to fulfill myself through education, marriage, family, even a false religion that elevated me to goddess status. I had taken a lot of wrong turns before marriage. Done things and said things that I was not ( and am not) proud of. As…
