I remember a childhood rhyme kids used to say to tease one another. It ended with something like “. . . first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage.” And somewhere between childhood rhymes and the developed rhythms of adult life, these witty sayings became internalized beliefs—as if life should […]
Continue readingMore TagCategory: Grief/Encouragement
Math—It’s Not about the Numbers
Growing up, we always had pets—dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits, birds, and hamsters, to name a few. I remember waking in the middle of the night on many occasions, only to find my pet hamster running on his (or was it her?—I could never tell) red wheel . . . for hours. Then, my kids had […]
Your Battle of the Will
What battles are you fighting today? I’m not referring to those we read or hear about in the news. I mean the wars that rage inside you—which ones are you fighting today? Here are some of mine: holding on to resentment, allowing frustration to overwhelm me, wishing for something easier, wondering why trials continue, and […]
What to Do When You’re on the Edge
The jumper was on the edge . . . literally. The creaking of huge metal cables echoed through the thick fog while violent tides crashed 220 feet below. San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge is well known as a suicide launching pad, and apparently this jumper was next in line. Two police officers were at the […]
Three Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me!
Note: The following post is adapted from Bob West’s booklet, “Three Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me!” Everything about life changed for Bob and his family with the birth of his son, diagnosed with disabilities. Your life may be free of disabling conditions, but your faith may be in question due to something that’s […]
The Light Is Always On
I had to read these words then ponder them for some time. The story is found in Max Lucado’s work He Still Moves Stones. As you read, allow your imagination to picture this account.
Sorrow, Suffering, and God’s Severe Mercies
So much for assumptions. My daughter and I were attending a parent/transfer student weekend at a university she’s been planning to attend. We assumed things would be sweet and simple; however, things were not so sweet and simple. Due to misguided direction, she was told she would have to reapply and would not be able […]
Four Key Questions That Can Change Your Life—Part 2
“When it rains, it pours,” as the old saying goes. Last’s week’s post began with this statement; it seems to resonate with many of us. I asked two questions connected to how we willfully react to life difficulties; this week dives deeply into the heart of who we are . . . in our souls. […]
Four Key Questions That Can Change Your Life—Part 1
“When it rains, it pours,” as the old saying goes. Usually, about the time I get to feeling well grounded and firmly focused, the clouds come rolling in, and the illusion of control is washed away once again. The latest downpour began when my son had a seizure which set him back quite a bit—followed […]
The Answer You Have Been Looking For
I walked outside as the sun was setting to have a little chat with the Lord. Nature helps me remember God is in control; He indeed keeps all things in order, which includes the lifting and lowering of the sun. Two weeks earlier I had walked into my home and found my son, Jon, flat […]
It’s Okay
Getting stuck is a bummer. Just for a moment, let’s list a few “stucks”: Stuck in traffic Stuck on a test Stuck on a project Stuck while trying to fix something Stuck in the mud Stuck in a dead-end career Stuck in life Our minds can also get stuck in a rut of one-way thinking—the […]
May It Be as You Have Said
They are written in every baby book and shared with close friends. Those never-forgotten first words. In my children’s (unfinished) baby books, I too recorded their first words. Each child’s were distinct and, in reflection, true to their unique personalities. Austin’s first word was mommy. Jon’s first words, after waiting three years for him to […]