For When You Feel Like A Failure: Kingdom Economics 101
At 3:10 PM, he clomped up those steps to the library, not with his usual enthusiasm. He plopped down in the yellow chair, right by our second-story fireplace, right across from my light blue Lazy Boy where I sit reading, waiting for him. I sensed him. Something was wrong. ”Hi! How was your day?” “Not […]
A Heads Up When You’re Feeling Down
Looks like my sunflowers are having a hard day. Or week. Or month. Look at their heavy heads hanging low! Every year these Russian Giants break out from small seed buried a half-inch below crumbled earth mixed with composted horse manure. A great growing ground—fresh earth and the once icky! Within three months, stalks rocket […]
Can God Give Too Much?
This is the third and last in the series of my Alaskan ponderings. May you be blessed by the glory of God given to us, for us, that we might worship the One who created all and, in him alone, find our fulfillment. When I was a kid, my dad would tickle me in the […]
A Courage Undaunted
Ever felt on edge? Ever come to the edge of yourself? Ever pushed your edges—the places you’re not sure you can go, doing things you’re not sure you can do? Takes courage. Undaunted courage. In 1803, Meriwether Lewis was trained for the Corps of Discovery, commonly referred to as the Lewis and Clark Expedition, by […]
On Our Knees—Together, Part 2
We need to stand in the gap for the vulnerable and give them the best news of life—the gospel. This piece is the continuation of Wednesday’s post about the boy who threatened to kill our son, his friend, his biological father, and himself. He had a plan. He was serious. He was a desperate, hurting soul. […]
Vision in the Mist
I can see clearly now, the rain is gone, I can see all obstacles in my way Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) Sun-Shiny day. I think I can make it now, the pain is gone All of the bad feelings have disappeared Here […]
Fall Fresh
Crystal white fell softly after dark. Flakes by the millions, not one like another, accumulated on the flagstone path meandering through the perennial garden where plants are sleeping the winter away. Some kind of peace comes over me during a fresh falling . . . Next morning—all white—all pure, all untracked by human. Snow’s still […]
Duckies and Dads and Mountains
I went to church with my dad and stepmom while visiting them in Arizona. To some, this might not seem like such a big deal. To me, it was a momentous occasion. During our phone conversation the day before my flight, Dad asked me if I would go to church with him on Sunday. I […]
A Beautiful Nightmare
The whole family was in our Toyota Highlander last night, buckled in. I was driving, my husband was in the passenger seat, and our three kids were in the back. Southbound on I-43, we drove in the dark to Milwaukee on our way to a play. We were cruising along, happily chatting about random subjects […]
Faith, Not Feelings
It’s 5 AM and pitch black dark in this house. The heat hasn’t raised yet from the overnight low. I open my eyes to the blind of it all—eyes wide but seeing nothing—eyes wide and feeling everything. Too much. I feel TOO MUCH. The anxiousness I know too well greets me, first thing. Oh, I’ve […]
Running on Empty?
Today is the day for emptying. I’ll give you the pretty and spare you the other. Let’s just say that the “prep process” has begun for my procedure early tomorrow—the one I’ve been avoiding for FIVE YEARS. Since we’ve blown through our insurance deductible for the year, we’re racing to the finish, scheduling as many […]
Prophecy, End Times, and Seeking the Son with My Dog
If our dog were a human, she’d be a beach bum, I’m quite certain. Her days consist of eating, drinking, running around like a Tasmanian devil dog, and seeking those sun spots to stretch out and relax, to bask in the warmth. She’s pretty simple actually. She doesn’t read books or worry much, at least […]