Comments Off on A Cloud by Day and Fire by Night
A Cloud by Day and Fire by Night
Do you ever struggle choosing what direction to go or what action to take next? How great it would be if I had a cloud guiding me by day and a fire lighting my way at night like the Israelites. After they were freed from captivity in Egypt, God instructed…
Comments Off on Cherish the Old Ways Through Passing on Life Skills
Cherish the Old Ways Through Passing on Life Skills
My morning began in the garage painting the storm windows to replace them before the winter cold returns. We live in an old farmhouse in rural Indiana where sharp winds blow across the open fields. All the windows except these last 4 we replaced with modern, high-efficiency vinyl ones. I…
Comments Off on Battling the “Not Good Enough” Dragon
Battling the “Not Good Enough” Dragon
We arrived home late last night after spending three days in Michigan at the Maranatha Christian Writer’s Conference. This was my second year to attend and I felt better prepared as I walked into the lodge to check in on Thursday. I copied samples of my writing: devotions, short stories,…
Comments Off on Love One Another
Love One Another
“Love one another…as I have loved you.”1 These are some of the last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before his crucifixion. The world does not understand this kind of love. The world says: Love those who love you. Love those who look like you, talk like you and agree…
Comments Off on Country Girl at Heart
Country Girl at Heart
I could hear the wind rustling through the dry corn stalks in the fields as I was walking down to the of turkey farm at the end of my road this morning. The sound was so soft and soothing. Only the birds chattering above my head on the electric wires,…
Comments Off on 9/11: A Seminal Event
9/11: A Seminal Event
We chronicle the passage of our lives by events. Each year of my life is commemorated by births, deaths, marriages and divorces that occurred within them. These events delineate specific beginnings and endings. Some events become seminal for a generation, denoting the beginning and ending of eras. They are like…
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Hope-givers
Hope is in short supply these days. So much bad news, it’s easy to just check out. People hurt each other in profound ways and the trauma that follows, pursues them throughout their lives. Patients tell me horrific stories that are difficult to hear. Where is the hope in this?…
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Once a Mom, Always a Mom
When my children were little, I would think, “Once they turn 18 and leave home, the challenges will end.” But nothing could be further from the truth. The challenges of being a mom just change as the children grow. They don’t go away. I have so many memories of crazy…
Taking Thoughts Captive
I awoke at 3:30 am this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep. It’s so frustrating when this happens since I typically get up for work at 5 am anyway. Breathing was difficult out of my nose with my allergies and I felt a little like I was suffocating. In…
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Stand Firm and Be Still
“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring to you today…The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:13-14 It has been said that “Do Not Be Afraid” or “Fear Not” is stated in the Bible 365…
Saving Moses
I’m reading the Book of Exodus about the birth of Moses and I am amazed by the resourcefulness of several women in this story. Their actions literally enable Moses to survive Pharaoh’s edict to exterminate all the Hebrew baby boys. It is surprising that they are actually mentioned by name…
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Therefore, How Then Should We Live?
My home is a small oasis of respite. I love it here. It’s full of old-fashioned things: old books, antique dishes and angels. There are angels in every room looking down on all who occupy this space. They are symbolic of God’s providence. His grace and care surround me…
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Finding Sabbath
A gold finch and a hummingbird are both feeding outside my dining room window this morning. I’m glad to be home and relaxing on my mid-week day off from work. I will pull more weeds in the garden later (they are endless) but for now I rest a bit.…
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Consider the Bee
Do you ever have days that you can’t decide what to do first because you have so much to accomplish? And, some of those things are fun things but the “have to do” list is overwhelming. This is my life, especially in the summer when everything is blooming and there…
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Surprised by Grace
Life moves on in regular rhythms. Don’t we all get used to its patterns? There is a certain security in “sameness.” So when something unexpected comes along that touches my heart, it sets me off-balance. Change can be good but also unsettling. Recently I’ve been reading “Grace” by Max Lucado.…
