The Smaller, The Better
Which would you rather deal with: a whale or a worm? If you’re like me, you may have just yelled (at least in your mind) a resounding, “NEITHER!”. But play along with me for a minute because I promise I am going somewhere with this. If I absolutely had to choose, I would go with the worm…only because I am bigger and one good stepping on would probably take care of it. Or would it? I heard a message a few years ago by Pastor Amie Dockery that has always stuck with me. The title was “How the Worm Got What the
Do or Die
Do you ever feel like your circumstances have IMPOSSIBLE written all over them? That's how my husband and I felt when we decided to move from New York to Texas. The decision seemed monumental within itself that we had no idea what the hurdles were going to be like ahead of us. Although he had a great resume, not one company in Texas expressed an interest in him as long as the address was from New York. Which company would want to pay for relocation? So began the process of praying, applying, and waiting ... repeat ... for TWO years. Fear
Be Happy!
“Did you hear that they’re having a sale that ends today?” “You’ve got to buy this…you’ll be so happy you invested in it!” “They’re running out of this style…get it right away!” Phrases like these put a fire under our feet, and if we can’t get our hands on the latest and greatest that the store has to offer, we feel let down. It’s so easy to get blinded by the false sense of security of possessions. Have you ever given in and spent a small fortune on the trendiest pair of shoes, just to see it at the bottom of the shoe pile a week later? While there
We are the Church
We walked out of the sanctuary into our church's main lobby. I thought my husband was heading toward the free Father's Day popcorn table. But he wasn't. He had veered off to the side of the lobby, his arm around the shoulder of a fellow church member. The two appeared engrossed in a deep conversation. As we drove home, I was curious and inquired as to what the intense conversation was all about. My husband filled me in. "During service I noticed that man's socks. I noticed his socks because of the holes he had in his shoes. I felt
Free Indeed
Life can be stressful. Most days, we can roll with the punches. Other days, not so much. I woke up on Friday morning feeling like there was a weight on my chest. I had been dealing with a particular situation and it was beginning to consume me. I had done everything I could. I talked to the people involved. I was respectful but firm. I had been gracious. And now, my heart and mind were heavy. There are some battles that we were meant to engage in. We can't just stand still...we have to walk through the parted Red Sea. We
Like Father, Like Daughter
During the decade prior to our move to Texas, my husband sang and led praise and worship in our church and also, with the band he was a part of. He was passionate about using this gift and he used it well. Our daughter Kayla was born at the tail end of that period and while she may have attended an event or two where my husband sang, she doesn't have a recollection of seeing him lead or hearing him sing. Once we moved to Texas, Kayla expressed an interest in singing and she joined the children's choir at our church.
The Center of it All
We have hit the end of June. School's out. It's hot. Vacation plans are being made. As the structure of my day has changed, I have to admit that it's become a little harder for me to stay on top of my daily Bible readings and journaling for our reading plan. Not to mention that this week, we are waist deep in different kings, revolutions, and rebellions. Admittedly, this is generally the portion of scripture where my brain tunes out. My eyes continue to track the letters and words from left to right but my brain is working on my
Change Agent
Every Tuesday is trash day. That means every Tuesday morning, we move our large trash bin from the garage to the end of our driveway. Then, the trash fairies come so when I get home in the afternoon, all of our trash is gone and I have a nice, empty trash bin. Except that didn’t happen today. I went to retrieve my empty trash bin except it wasn’t empty. Someone had used it to deposit their dog’s...waste. Now, granted it was in a bag but still! Was my bin the first one they saw? I don’t even have a dog!
Taking Gifts for Granted
A few of my favorite things include a great book to curl up with, a cozy blanket, a warm cup of coffee and CHOCOLATE :) You can only imagine how excited I was when our family embarked on the Hershey's Chocolate Tour while on vacation a few weeks ago. Imagine our surprise when we learned that there are 15 steps involved from screening the cocoa beans all the way to packaging the chocolate candy! Afterwards my oldest daughter shared how much she has always enjoyed eating chocolate, but had no idea how elaborate the process was in making a candy bar.
Fighting Fire
There is a fire station on my way to work, and while I wait at the long light for the train to pass by, I have the opportunity to watch the morning routine of the firefighters there. In those early morning hours at the station, the ladder of the fire engine slowly rises and the bright, flashing lights break the morning sky. At the moment, there is no emergency, but they are preparing for one. Imagine an emergent call coming in, and no lights flash when they are charging down the street...or a blazing fire in a high rise with no functioning
