Thank You
As we come to another Thanksgiving and I think about what a year it’s been, it can be easy to focus on the more difficult and sorrow filled times of the year. Many have lost loved ones, received tough medical diagnoses, or have faced difficult financial situations. As I reflect on this past year, even through the challenges, what I see is that God’s goodness is still so apparent. It’s through the difficulties that I feel His sweet presence so strongly...and for that I am so grateful. As you celebrate Thanksgiving with your family and friends and as you focus
Grateful
I don’t know about you, but I cannot believe Thanksgiving is this week. Where did this year go?? While many are planning menus, shopping at the grocery store, and arranging travels, the fact remains that the holiday season is filled with mixed emotions. For some, this is a reminder of loss. Maybe you lost a loved one who is no longer on this side of eternity or you have been out of a job. Maybe you are grieving a relationship that was severed or your health has been adversely affected. I’m truly sorry, Friend. Experiencing any one of those things
Serving Others
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is after the resurrection, when Jesus appears to his disciples who have returned to fishing. Simon Peter goes fishing and takes several of his disciple friends with him. They fish all night and end up with empty nets. Jesus stands on the shore and tells them to cast their nets on the other side. The Bible tells us that the crew did not recognize that it was Jesus when he was just standing on the shore, but after He spoke, John and Simon Peter realized who it was. The crew hauls in
Sweet Potato Casserole
As a young child, our family Thanksgiving meal consisted of Indian food. We had asked our parents if we could eat turkey like all of our friends at school. So when turkey and the sides were added to the menu, we couldn’t be happier. Being that it was new to us, side dishes such as mashed potatoes came from a box, and corn and yams came from cans. Every year, we enjoyed great food and fellowship with my extended family as we had the best of both cuisines for our Thanksgiving meal. Then, I moved to Texas 16 years ago
His Perspective
Recently I traveled to another city for my cousin’s wedding. Almost everything went well that weekend. Everyone who was traveling got to the wedding safely and on time. The wedding was beautiful and the celebration was a joyous occasion for our family. But after all the wedding festivities had ended and we were preparing to head back to our home town, we were notified by our airline that our flight along with many of our family members' flights had been cancelled. The airline informed us that the earliest flight back home would be 2 days later. Many of us had
Life is like a Plane Ride
“I’m sorry y’all got stuck sitting next to me.” I apologized in advance to my friends seated to my right and left. I’m a horrible travel companion! Since I was young, plane rides and I just haven’t gotten along. I get nauseous and my ears feel like they are about to explode. So as the plane began to ascend, my body language must have said it all. My friends stopped the conversation they were having with one another, and I could hear them praying for me under their breath. Thankfully, once we were at cruising altitude, my motion sickness medication
Your Labor is Not in Vain
Would you ever sign up for a job if you knew you would be met with resistance and may not even be listened to? I know I wouldn’t, yet parenthood seems to fit that description on SOME days lol. I recall when my children were toddlers and I told them to put their toys away. They actually thought it was a good time to keep playing.When they grew older, I found myself reminding them about getting their chores done. They thought it was a great time to … well, do anything else.As they became teenagers, there were life lessons that
Enduring Love
This past weekend marked a milestone for my husband’s parents. 50 GOLDEN YEARS OF MARRIAGE. That’s one half of a century in devoting oneself to another selflessly just as Christ does for us, the Church. With Jesus at the center of it all, they have served faithfully by showing hospitality and generosity to countless, raising their boys to men, and sacrificially caring for one another … for better, for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. What a privilege and honor for us as children and grandchildren to celebrate our parents! At times like this, one
Identity, Purpose, Assignment
I was recently looking for a job. With a blank canvas in front of me, I wasn't sure which direction to take. I spoke to God about it, and I asked Him, "Where do you want me?" After combing though a few websites, I came upon one opportunity that seemed like a pipe dream, but I went ahead and applied. A few interviews later, I got the call that the team was interested in me. My voice remained calm when I replied, "Thank you!", but there was a stampede of horses racing through my heart. I couldn't believe it. I
Music to my Soul
In 1 Samuel 16, we find Saul, tormented and terrified by an evil spirit. Saul’s officials had an idea. They decided to bring in a gifted musician to come and play the harp for Saul. And whenever the anointed harpist, David, would play his harp, “Saul would relax and feel better, and the evil spirit would go away.” (vs. 23) Friends, we live an an anxiety filled world. What we surround ourselves and fill our environment with can make a world of difference in how we feel. My son introduced me to the 42 minute video below. There’s no fluff.
