Know God. Live Big.
The guys were bent over puzzle pieces at the kitchen table, and we girls were enjoying the cozy evening, Christmas tree lights, and a Hallmark movie, when we saw headlights in the driveway. I peeked out the front window, to scope out the unexpected guest, and saw an elderly woman got out of her car. After unlocking the deadbolt on… Read More
There’s a bull dog inside of me. If you tell me I can’t do something, game on. Inwardly I will cross my arms and say, “Oh yeah? You don’t think I can do this? We’ll see about that.” This tenacity and strong-willed determination serves me well. Sometimes. But lately I’ve been doing some serious praying for people who are in… Read More
Almost a dozen years since my trip to Uganda, and that young man I met is still messaging me on Facebook, asking how my husband and children are, asking how our church is doing, asking how can he pray for me today. We go back and forth. I have prayed for his daughter who has struggled with an illness. He… Read More
A robust Christmas cactus fills the garden window above our kitchen sink, and right now the end of every stem has a growing bud that soon will open into a spectacular array of delicate, pink blossoms. This cycle of blooming repeats several times during the year, and while we scrub dirty pots after dinner, we worship the Creator who made… Read More
I waited a long time in the Wal-Mart check-out line, listening to the couple in front of me argue heatedly with each other about the expense of a guinea pig cage. Trying to look anywhere but at them, I saw all around me was Christmas. Huge inflatable yard ornaments. Wreath hangers. Christmas trees. Right next to me was a… Read More
“Have you seen them?” the Costco checker asked the woman behind me in line. “The Christmas trees they just put out?” It was September. I might as well confess that the dresser drawers in my office are starting to fill with gifts. Amazon is already bringing treasures that I’m squirreling away for December, and I’ve seen Facebook posts telling me… Read More
Energy. I had been going and going for days. Come last Wednesday evening the thought of teaching dozens of energetic kids at church almost made me ill. My prayer was a groan –a desperate plea for the energy to “be on” one more time and with gusto. When those sweet monkeys finally piled into my circus, it was fantastic. God’s… Read More
They started talking about how crowded our school was back in May, and my brilliant mind told a story of how I would have to go back to my tiny classroom–no wait–maybe I wouldn’t even have a classroom and would have to travel to borrowed rooms, since I was a part-time teacher. Cue full-blown panic. I do panic well. But… Read More
My brain is going to explode. For so long, I guess since the kids left home, my calendar has been blissfully quiet and slow –just the way my introverted, home-body soul likes it. But I have some new irons in the fire these days. These are lovely irons to which God has directed me, but they require time commitments that… Read More
Google calendar groaned just now, as I hit add, add, add. My life has been hard work this summer but fairly simple, and now it’s not. Now there is school, which comes with rapid-fire meetings, retreats, luncheons, and to-do lists. And we’re making a quick run to Wyoming for my mom’s retirement party. Then AWANA starts. And all of the… Read More