My dad used to give me a simple command, and I would say, Yeah, but… He would answer, No “yeah buts”. Just do what I’ve told you to do. End of discussion. I see many complex problems –overwhelming fear, depression, anxiety, feelings of worthlessness, anger, shame… And I guess maybe I am a very simple…
We used to live in a very old neighborhood, and in the summer I couldn’t wait to put on tennis shoes every day and go for a walk. The exercise was a good idea, but it was the artistry of the old homes that I enjoyed the most. It was my habit to purposefully look…
I am a hub. As a pastor’s wife, I count it my highest honor to receive women’s stories. I seem to be a safe landing place for all the whispered secrets of a woman’s life. Recently I met with a woman and tucked another rose in the bouquet of stories filling my heart. This is what…
I recently read a note written by a young man who left his cozy church family and went out into the big wide world. There he has discovered many other views about spirituality. Now he realizes he was “narrow-minded” when he lived here, and he has thrown out his small-town views of God. I once…
When I was growing up, I sang in church because that’s what we did in church. Please turn in your hymnal to page 325, and let’s sing the first, second, and fourth stanzas. (That’s how the Baptists did it back then.) But several years ago God put it on my heart to go to Africa…
I remember when my daughter started soccer in her early grade school years. For all of her short little life we had been telling her, Don’t be selfish, Share with others, always be kind. Then she was on the soccer field, and we were screaming, Take the ball! Push past her! Don’t let her get…
I fell in love with my husband again yesterday. My daughter had a scheduled appointment for all four wisdom teeth to be removed at 7:30 yesterday morning, and every time I thought about it I got woozy. (My husband said “woozy” was an onomatopoeia –every time I said it I sounded and looked the part.)…
I sent in a whole stack of devotional writings to a publication. They said, “Allow six months for a response.” Well, it’s been six months, and I just received a whole stack of rejection emails. And I think back to when I had to bend down on my knees to look my little boy in…
I’ve been unhappy this week. Because I’m so tired of when people say they know Jesus but they’re not happy –not just having-a-bad-day unhappy but having-a-bad-life unhappy. Like every time I see them or talk to them I can expect them to be unhappy. And I think, How can you say you know Jesus but…
I went to the tiny town of Lakeside yesterday, to meet up with my Australian friend (mostly to listen to her cool accent over a cup of coffee). Driving through the entire town lasts only two minutes, so I was frustrated when I couldn’t find the coffee shop. I finally pulled into the grocery store parking…
My dad left a big chunk of his hearing acuity in Vietnam, so the VA just bought him some genius hearing aids with Bluetooth technology. When the phone rings dad can press a button and listen through his hearing aids. He can even program the TV to come through his hearing aids. He is now…
Here’s how it went yesterday. I had a little weep as I typed my last medical transcription report. Job of 11 years over. Had a little weep as my husband asked me about it later in the morning. Had a little weep after he went to work. Just kind of sad to lose a job…
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