I heard on a podcast a few months ago from Emily Freeman about the importance of allowing yourself periods of mourning, even for things that we don’t traditionally think of as needing to mourn. She wasn’t talking about the awful circumstances that require legit grieving, like the death of a close friend or a failed…
Only Today
I have only today. I am given only today. I am not guaranteed tomorrow, or even the remainder of this today. Today is important. Today is beautiful. Today is precious. Today is not to be wasted. Does that scare anyone else? Does me. I gets my people-pleasing (i.e., legalism) tendencies all up in a tizzy.…
Speaking with Song
I have a friend. She’s having trouble speaking, on occasion. Its not all the time, it hits her at odd times and its very frustrating. We’ve been praying and she’s been seeking answers from doctors, but its something to learn to live with at the moment. Today, at church, it had hit. Pretty hard. But…
Anniversary and Loving Us
It’s our anniversary. 12 years ago, this man next to me said “I do.” Yesterday, he single-handedly replaced a toilet. He even mopped the floor before installing the new one. This morning, he held out a strong, steady forearm so I could haul my pregnant self over the maternity pillow for an early morning snuggle.…
Speak the truth. Cling to the truth. Act on the truth.
Dreams. They’re just dreams. Crazy, mixed up, scary, but not real. Thoughts alone. Manifestations of neurons. Pictures and fragments in a blender in my head while I sleep, trying to sort themselves out. I dreamed that I knew I was about to witness my husband’s death. Some sort of gentleman’s duel, sort of, only it…
When Faith (and Parenting) is Hard
Evenings. They’re hard with kids. Even if we’re closing up a good day, with cooperative children, sweet kid kisses, and relative sibling harmony, evenings can really suck. But today wasn’t a particularly blissful day in parenting. And it was definitely hard by supper time. Gideon goes overly emotional with buttons sticking a mile out. Noah…
The Truth in the dirty dishes
Today, I matched socks out of a basket while sitting on the potty. I’ve never done that before. As I did so, I tried to decide if I should consider this efficiency? or a new personal low in home management skills? As a working mom, ministry wife, and mom of 3 (and a half!), I…
Validity and identity in Christ
You are seen. You are heard. You do not go unnoticed through this world. Feeling unloved is an illusion, a lie fed to you by a dark, scheming enemy. Look up, look into His words to you. Lean hard into your faith, push away the whispered lies that you’re ignored. YOU ARE LOVED.
Proactivity
“To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” Proverbs 21:4 “to DO righteousness and justice,” Note the proactivity in this proverb. Sure we do church, we do some Bible reading, but are we acting with righteousness and fairness? I smarted off to a respected coworker and friend yesterday. It wasn’t…
Finishing the course
This little guy’s determination. We went to the park yesterday. He watched another family playing soccer, walked up to the daddy, and asked if he could play soccer with them. He told them his name. I don’t even think this family spoke English, but that didn’t stop Noah. They took him in and played with…