A Good Neighbor
Have you ever heard the jingle: “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there”? It conjures up the image in our mind that what makes a neighbor good is that they are caring and available to you. Recently, while a few of us went to lunch, we all entered through the same door of the establishment, ordered on the same line, and ate at the same table. There was one among us who I will refer to as the good neighbor. The good neighbor was attentive to our surroundings. While we were finishing our meal, the good neighbor began a
Being Brave
I was the speaker for our meeting last month. I will admit that I have a slight (or not so slight) fear of public speaking. It makes me incredibly uncomfortable. I feel awkward knowing that there are so many eyes staring at me, expecting wise nuggets to fall out of my mouth. During the month of March, as I was preparing, I mentioned my nervousness to my husband. My son overheard and told me that I should just cancel (ha!). I told him that I couldn't do that since I had committed to doing it. He said "What are you going
I am Committed…to Your Success
A few weeks ago, we celebrated a dear friend’s 50th birthday. The evening before the big bash, a few of us sat with the guest of honor. There were lots of laughs and lots of tears, each of us expressing how much we loved and appreciated him. As we made our way around the circle, it was his daughter’s turn to speak. With a crack in her voice and tears in her eyes, she said, “Ubuntu.” It’s meaning, I need you to be all that you are, so I can be all that I am. It’s a word her father
The Grip of Insecurity
If you know the story of Saul in the Old Testament, it’s hard to read about the beginning of his reign without thinking about how it ends. He didn’t go looking to become king. God sent Samuel, the prophet, to look for him. When Samuel even starts the conversation with him, Saul is at a loss as to why. Was Saul being humble? Possibly. But as we continue reading, it seems that his response was based on his insecurity. There is a difference. We often confuse the two because both can look like someone is “shying away” from the
Fellowship with the Family of God
“You know a lot of people!” My kids frequently say this to my husband and I, especially when visiting with family and friends. When we explain how we know each person, as well as the significance of their presence in our lives, a common theme resounds: fellowship. Rick Warren says, “Fellowship is living in God’s family, loving each other as family, and working together as a family united in Christ’s Church." We had the privilege of being raised in a church where its members were ones we thought of as family. Our interactions weren’t just limited to services on Sundays.
Getting Organized
A couple of years ago I was praying about the direction God wanted me to go for that year. What I strongly felt was that God wanted me to clear up the clutter and organize my home. It seemed like a strange request to hear from God. But the more I prayed the stronger I felt it. You see, clutter was a big part of my life. I’m not sure why, but I felt like it was easier to stack piles of mail and deal with it later, than to put things away as they came through my
Walk by Faith
Have you ever felt things swirling around you and a loss of control due to the circumstances you are facing? We recently went through a big transition at work, and that is exactly how I felt. When I lay awake at night, here are a few things that I was reminded: 1. God is in control: This transition is no surprise for our Father, and He has only good things planned for our future (Jeremiah 29:11) . Let us "walk by faith, not by sight", trusting in Him through this difficult time. (2 Cor 5:7) 2. We need's God's peace:
I Want That!
Have you ever watched young children play together? Each one can be happily playing with their toy until they notice the toy that their peer is playing with. Suddenly, you hear “I want that!” and see a hand rushing to grab what appears to be better. I had the privilege of being raised with the best of everything. However, when I was a teenager, I noticed classmates who owned designer purses and clothes. Suddenly, what I had did not seem to be enough and I felt unhappy. I desired to have what they possessed. But these must be struggles limited
I Had No Idea…
I was determined. It wasn’t going to happen again. The last time I went through airport security, I mistakenly left a bottle of water in my purse. The security scanners caught it and I was asked to step to the side. I then went behind the curtain for a more thorough search while my family waited up ahead. When I rejoined them, my husband just smiled and shook his head. So like I said, I was determined. That wasn’t going to happen again. Last week, I was getting ready to board a flight back home. I double checked my bags. No
Be the Change
For the past month, I would see it. We had just moved into a different building at work. Everything in our area was nice, new and clean. Except this. Every day, there were scraps of paper towels on the bathroom floor as soon as you walk in. Almost every day, I complain. Sometimes out loud. A lot of times in my head. Before you start to wonder if I am a neat freak and on the OCD side, let me go ahead and help you out. Yes, I am. So, the messiness bugged me. I would think, “I wish somebody
