Blessings in an Unexpected Season (Part 1)
Two months ago when my husband was laid off, a precious friend told me to keep my eyes open for the blessings in this unexpected season. My internal response was, “Blessings?” All I could seem to focus on was my list of worries. I mean, it’s a struggle to see anything to be grateful for when we find ourselves in a difficult place, right? But I was challenged to take my friend’s advice and as a result, I did see many blessings in that season. I will be sharing some of these this month in celebration of Thanksgiving. One of
How Can You Spread Love?
This Monday morning, when I turned on the news, they were discussing the synagogue shooting . It's just unfathomable that this continues to happen in our country. To try and put a happier spin on things, the newscasters were asking people a question: "How can you spread love today?" People were responding via Facebook and Twitter using a hashtag, and it got my juices flowing. How could I spread love today? My mind started thinking of things, and I flashed back to an incident that happened this weekend. We were out having dinner to celebrate my sister-in-love's birthday. We were at
I am a Practicalist
I am a practicalist. (I don't know if that's even a proper word, but it seems to describe me quite well). Life has to make sense...and if possible, I would like to have all the details ironed out before I take a single step forward in a new or different direction. But the more I read my Bible, the more I realize...God’s ways are not only higher than my ways, they are also a lot less practical than my ways. Think about it. God had Elijah ask the poorest of widows for food. Why not ask someone who was in a
We Know…So We…
When my husband, Lance, started traveling for work many years ago, it was really hard. I wasn't used to being alone in the house and not seeing him everyday. Eventually, I did get used to it...and actually started to enjoy some of the perks of it. (Um...Maybe I should clarify.) Of course, I would prefer to have my husband home but his frequent trips have entitled him to some benefits. Now, we don't have to take off our shoes at security or wait in long lines for a rental car. So, when I travel with Lance, his status becomes
Celebrate Anyway
Balloons ✓ Cake ✓ Dinner ✓ My checklist had been completed for my daughter’s surprise sweet sixteen. I was a mama on a mission as I rushed into the house from our homeschool community. But I came to a screeching halt when my husband prompted me to join him in our room. He had just been notified that he was going to be laid off. As tears of shock streamed down my face, I felt a plethora of thoughts swirling in my mind. The honest truth is that the first one was to cancel the celebration. After all, we needed
Finishing Strong
Do you know of a person seems too far gone that it seems there’s no hope for them? Manasseh, the son of King Hezekiah in the Bible comes to mind. Hezekiah is remembered a good and honorable king who on his deathbed, pleaded with God to extend his life. God granted his request and added 15 years to life. Hezekiah was a good king, who honored God and was faithful before the Lord. But his son Manasseh is often described as one of the most evil kings of Judah. He rebuilt pagan shrines, he constructed alters for Baal,
20/20 Vision
I was sitting in the optometrist’s office when I got the news. “Glasses”, he said. Tears filled my eyes, and I leaned into my mother. I felt silly, crying as a teenager over something as simple as glasses. But I was devastated, and the struggle was real at an age when image mattered. My mom comforted me, and then we turned to check out the options for my frames. I was doomed. Our insurance only covered a collection of the thickest, most hideous frames. Why, oh, why did I need glasses! The day came, and I went to pick up
Mints, Appacha and the Gospel
Years ago, as my family and I were on our way to church, we stopped at a nearby convenience store. My husband's parents were with us and my father in law just needed to run inside and buy some mints (a must have for before and after church fellowship). Before my father in law could get both of his feet out of the car, my youngest son yelled from the back of our van, "Appacha (Grandpa), please don't tell anyone in there about Jesus or else we will be late to church." It was a funny (and ironic) statement. Funny,
Our Scars
I had never seen myself without it. There are pictures of me when I was about 4 years old, wearing a sleeveless shirt...and there it was: a scar on my left shoulder. As I have gotten older, unfortunately the scar has grown along with me. I try to carefully choose my clothing to avoid it showing. A few weeks ago, I wore a particular dress that didn’t conceal it as much as I would have liked but I wore it anyway. I didn’t realize it but that day, someone had taken a picture and caught my side profile in
God Loves You
Have you ever walked through something overwhelming and difficult? It seemed like an eternity as you were in that season. But you knew giving up wasn’t a solution. So you did your best to be steadfast in faith and rely on God’s strength. And when it seemed as if the challenge was finally over, you were overcome with relief. You were thankful that you survived this struggle. You honestly couldn’t be happier to move on to a new chapter in your life. Then, some time passes and suddenly, you find yourself in a season that looks just like the one
