Here I Am
I have a couple of friends who have undergone amazing transformations recently. They posted “before & after” pictures of themselves and the results are incredible. Just today, I had a family member post about a different kind of transformation. She opened up about her struggles with deep depression, how God got her through it and what she learned about herself in the process. I had no idea this was an issue for her...until she shared it. A physical transformation is visible to the world. An inner change can go unrecognized if we never knew what was there to begin with.
Teach Us to Number Our Days
As my oldest daughter is approaching the end of her high school career, the reality has been setting in that she will not be home much longer. Before I know it, graduation will be here and she will go away to college. Don't get me wrong. I am incredibly excited for her future. But where did the time go??? Wasn't it just yesterday that I brought her home from the hospital as a newborn? This sobering truth has had me in deep thought about being faithful with the time I have been given with my children. The truth is
Paying the Price
“Mommy, have you ever lied?” I cringed. I tried to avoid answering, but not giving my son an honest answer would make me a hypocrite. “Yes, I have…” How difficult to admit wrongdoing to our very own children! But, how teachable those moments can be. One of my earliest memories of receiving a consequence for my actions was when I was on the ride home with my dad one day. He had just picked me up from my friend’s home and he heard the sound of coins in my hand. When he found out I had taken the
Move On
When my parents moved to Dallas, my mom got a job as a nurse at Baylor Hospital. She worked there for 39 years until she retired. My dad has been at his company for 41 years. Their daughters (aka me and my sister) are on the same trajectory: I’ve been at my job for 19 years and Binu has been with her employer since the store opened, for the past 10 years. So, the fact that I am a creature of habit runs deep in my DNA. We like for things to stay the same. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always work
The Blessing of Elevation
My family and I have begun a new pastime of watching certain reality shows on television. Before you judge me, let me explain. We have been watching “Shark Tank” and “Undercover Boss”. What has fascinated me about these shows is the story of the successful business person who is able to invest in others. Most of their stories are actually the same: they came from humble beginnings. Some had such a difficult childhood or upbringing, that it’s almost impossible to believe where they are today as thriving millionaires. But that just proves the point that your past doesn’t determine your
The Character of God
In 2 Chronicles 33, we read the story of king Manasseh. (I know you're saying, "Who?" Hang with me, I will get to my point before your eyes glaze over, I promise!) His bio reads like this: He was another bad king in the long line of bad kings that were ruling in Judah. He rebuilt the pagan altars that his father (the prior king) had torn down. He constructed new altars and poles for these gods, including building some in the courtyard and one actually inside the temple of the Lord. (That is evil on a whole new level!) He
“Binu, That’s enough…”
A little over twenty years ago, I sat on my bed sobbing. My young mind was convinced that I would never be happy again. My friends allowed me to sulk for a little while, but after a few weeks, one friend in particular had enough of me and my sad self. "Binu, That's enough. It’s time to move on." I’m not going to lie and tell you I enjoyed our talk….I didn’t. I was getting quite comfortable with my sad self. But I listened because I knew my friend had my best interest in mind and she was speaking to
When the Rooster Crows
When we discuss conflict in our marriage small group, my husband will ask each spouse, “What are your ‘trigger words’?” When we think of a trigger, a gun may be the first image that comes to mind. The reason it is referred to as a “trigger word” is because of its ability to initiate an argument. No matter who you are, married or not, we all have particular words that may not start a fight on the outside but something still hits us on the inside. I have my own set of words that are probably insignificant to most people.
The Power of Revelation
Over the years, I have experienced a hurt or two. During each experience, I cried and vented, but eventually I dismissed it. I’d tell myself that I was fine, that I forgave the person who hurt me, and I would leave the situation in God’s hands. The only thing is that as soon as I had an encounter with the person I felt hurt by, a whirlwind of negative emotions would overtake me. It’s almost as if I was reliving the entire experience and as if I never extended forgiveness. For a while, I really didn’t think anything was wrong
Set Up to Succeed
Have you ever been in a position to set someone else up for success? It’s never glamourous or easy. In fact, it goes against human nature to help someone else knowing that you won’t get credit for it. King David found himself in a similar position. From the time of Moses, the presence of God dwelled in the tabernacle - which was basically a tent that would move with the people of God as they made their journey towards the promised land. Fast forward many years. The people of Israel have inhabited the promised land. They were
