joyce

Around this time of year, I am faced with a big decision: which photo to print for my family’s Christmas card. I know, it sounds silly, but bear with me while I explain.  I love the holidays and all the things that come with them, including sending out cards. It’s just something I’ve enjoyed doing

Here’s the current situation in my home: “You took the bigger slice. That’s not fair!” “Stop calling me names. You’re so rude!!” Perhaps this banter sounds familiar from growing up with siblings. Or maybe, like me, you have the “joy” of listening to it now between your children.  After all the screaming and shouting, it

At times, life can seem sour like a lemon. Am I right? Maybe you are in college, like my daughter, and thanks to the pandemic, most classes are meeting online and there is diminished face to face interactions. It’s depressing. Perhaps you’re planning your wedding day and you realize you can’t invite the number of

Can I be real with you?  Today has not gone as planned … at all. We had a delayed start in our day and missed our morning devotion together. Then, we received news we didn’t care to hear. There were sour faces, foul attitudes, and hard conversations to navigate through … all before noon! Honestly,

For as long as I can remember, my mom loves to sing. Whether she’s cooking, sitting in the car, or during our family devotions, she can be heard singing a worship song … good times, bad times, all the time. I caught that at an early age and thought it was worth copying. I enjoyed

Among the gifts that I am blessed with are having a younger brother and sister. What’s unique about my sister and me, in particular, is that we are ten years apart from one another. Therefore, sharing clothes, getting into trouble, or going to college together was not a part of our experience growing up. Even

Even with all that’s going on in the world, I think we can all agree on the fact that life doesn’t stop for anyone. Unfortunately, people continue to struggle with feeling ill with varying health issues, to receive difficult diagnoses and prognoses, to need chemotherapy or radiation, and the list goes on. I’m no exception

One of my son’s first Biology experiments this school year is to plant seeds and observe its growth. He has been diligent to follow the instructions of putting the soil in the cup, planting the seeds, placing it in sunlight, and watering it regularly.  Initially, when my son checked on it daily, he noticed that

My husband and I had the privilege of celebrating 21 years of marriage this past weekend. We’re filled with gratitude to the Lord, especially for all the lessons we have learned along the way. Looking back, life was relaxing when we first married. We enjoyed dining at restaurants, traveling to memorable destinations, and leisurely hanging

Several years ago while I was chatting with someone, I remember the negative sentiments they expressed about someone new they had just met. Having had the opportunity to meet this new person myself and also, learn their story, I was jarred by those comments. It made me think about the times I was guilty of