Life can be harsh and unrelenting and sometimes the cold is just too much for one person–or ox–to face alone. My boys love watching Wild Kratts, and the other day I overheard an interesting fact about the musk ox (a goat-like animal that lives in the arctic regions). When wolves or frigid temperatures overwhelm the […]
My January Reads
No matter how crammed my life may get, I always set aside time for reading. It’s my oldest and dearest hobby, and this year, I told myself, “Let’s try to read 50 books.” Thanks to the Missouri loaning library, I’ve already logged 5 titles on my Kindle. Here they are: 1.Present Over Perfect by Shauna […]
Holding Onto Unwavering Love Even When You Don’t Feel It
Last week, I stood in my kitchen, doing dishes while listening to a John Piper message on Romans 5. His opening prayer prompted a volcano of tears and the mountain kept gushing over the next 38 minutes. Despite all my training and rational understanding, my heart doesn’t always incline itself toward the love of God. […]
Common Sense Has Left the Building
Imagine your neighbor comes over and plants a rose seedling in your yard. You don’t notice it right away, but even after you do see it start to develop and grow, you think, “Man, this isn’t a convenient time to have a rose bush. What do I know about growing and maintaining roses and do […]
Getting Your Kids to Think Deeper
The things my children say–and I in response to them–would never have crossed my imagination prior to having offspring of my own. You just can’t believe the quirky quips they toss….without even trying. At lunch time last week, my youngest–and most talkative–assessed the items on his plate. “What is this orange thing here?”My response: “Um, […]
God’s Plumb Line May Not Be What You Think
Growing up in a house of builders, I learned early on the value of a measuring tape, level, and T-square. And not just valuable tools, but necessary, unless you wanted to mirror Green Acres (sorry, if you are too young to understand that cultural reference). As in constructing a house, building a life requires exact […]
When the Future Freaks Me Out: What about ‘What if’?
Several years ago, when our children were still preschool age, a spring storm assaulted our town. The tornado alarm on our weather radio erupted with abrupt concern and we knew a twister was coming close to our subdivision. Having no basement, my husband and I deliberated. Do we drive the five minutes to my folks’ […]
Your Own Shoes
When I was a teenager, I loved wearing chunky heels. At five feet, ten inches, my footwear wasn’t even slightly sensible, but they made me feel both lovely and powerful, so I wore them. After three children and numerous spinal issues, my shoes are more down-to-earth–literally.
Leaving a Life of Shame
Lately, I’ve noticed several faith-based songs affirm this cultural trend to live a life without regrets. Personally, I think regret is a healthy thing. We don’t learn or grow if we have no regrets. Remorse leads us to repentance and renewal. Furthermore, Jesus calls us to examine and turn away from our life of sin. […]
3 Words that Will Help You Say ‘No’
I’m a guilt-prone, overly-responsible, passionate and protective firstborn. Within my strengths creep my weaknesses. For example, my fervor and determination can often be interpreted as anger or antagonism. My prophetic tendencies to speak truth often get me blasted by those who don’t appreciate accountability or questions. Although I don’t enjoy confrontation like some, I won’t […]