Elbows resting on the table’s smooth surface. Chin cupped in the palm of my left hand. I study the pages of my open planner, amazed at its lack of white space. Even in the midst of a pandemic, the days and weeks fill up quickly. A camping trip that’s been planned for months is […]
Making Life Count
Make it count! I shouted these words to my daughter as she ran down court, dodging opposing players. She had one purpose in mind – to sink the ball in the goal standing ahead of her. Moments before she had seized an opportunity to grab hold of that same ball. Once the ball was […]
Living Like We Don’t Need Jesus
Living like we don’t need Jesus. It’s not the best way to live. Yet, there were many years as a young adult where I did exactly that. I loved Jesus, but I didn’t need Him all that much. Or so I thought. And most days, that’s how I chose to live. Except on Sundays. […]
More than a Biscuits and Gravy Kind of Love
I love you more than biscuits and gravy. That’s what the sign hanging above my kitchen sink reads. I didn’t buy the sign because I love biscuits and gravy – though I do. I bought it because it reminded me of a little thing we used to do with our youngest son. As we put […]
Meant for Community, Not Quarantine
I awakened to a hint of light outside my bedroom window. Had I really slept all night? I reached for my cell phone to check the time – 6:18 a.m. Stretching my arms toward the ceiling, I soaked in the goodness of a full night’s slumber and whispered a prayer of thanks. Living life sheltered-in-place […]
Inching Along Until Our Wise Choices Outnumber the Not-so-Wise
I’ve fallen off the train. Again. The fall itself wasn’t all that painful, but the staying behind until I’d lost sight of the train has taken its toll. Rather than making one poor choice, I’ve made many. And though I’m fully aware of my poor choices, I don’t care to do anything about them. I’ve […]
The Bug Man and God
I stood facing him, bent on concealing my inner annoyance. With what I hoped resembled a smile, I half-heartedly listened as the exterminator divulged a slew of suggestions for alleviating our fruit fly issue. This ongoing dilemma had us all perplexed and desperate for a solution. So when the bug man left and we […]
Exchanging Our Worries for God’s Peace
I pulled the bedspread back, fluffed my pillow and collapsed into bed with a body as tired as my heart was heavy. My family had recently experienced a couple of close calls, the latest one still fresh on my mind. Though I felt thankful things had turned out well, my mind parked itself in a […]
Making Room for What Truly Matters
“I need a mason jar, three bouncy balls and a bag of rice.” My husband’s words should have puzzled me, but they didn’t. He was preparing a visual for his youth group- something he has done often the past several years. My cabinets were full of mason jars; a bag of white rice lay buried […]
