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 […]
Inspirational
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Humility of Christmas
This last week I’ve had one of those “sacred echo” moments where everything I read pointed back to one word: humility. My Advent reading, a message I listened to, a Facebook post, Scripture…all declaring a point of purpose: “Are you listening, Kristin?” I’m trying, Lord. But, humility is a painful lesson. Honestly, I waver between pride […]
Loving Your Prince
Growing up, I delighted to uncover the reality where princes and queens still live in the world. Despite their younger age, I imagined what it would be like to marry Prince William or Harry. What would it be like to have the world watch on as I walked down the aisle at Westminster Abbey? What […]
Is December 25th for the Pagans or Christians?
The perils of doing yoga have flooded the news this fall. Pastors and Christian leaders have declared yoga an evil practice because of its pagan origins. I’d agree that using certain words (namaste, om, etc.) and emptying the mind or worshiping the sun god with mantras is absolutely counter to our beliefs and dangerous to […]
Facing Death
Through my teen years and into college, I loved going to weddings. Not only did I revel in the romance and celebration of the day, but I also eagerly anticipated my own special day with my future spouse. What aspects did I like? What would I implement in my own ceremony? Etc. Weddings were enjoyable […]
When You Don’t Agree With Your Pastor
The first 16 years of my life, my dad presided as my pastor and primary spiritual teacher. When he preached, he regularly encouraged his listeners to be like the Bereans, searching the Scriptures daily to see if what they were being told was true (Acts 17). In other words, he’d say,”don’t take my word for […]