This is us on our Honeymoon in Lake Tahoe. We got married 23 years ago today. We were tiny babies. Everyone who met us that week thought we were teenagers that eloped. He was 25 and I was 20. All perfectly legal. 🥰 Sometimes people who know us tell us how cute we are together […]
Sailing ships and fairy wings, dragons’ hoards and precious rings, lands, languages, philosophies, broken hearts, and fantasies flit like feathers on a breeze, like ashes floating out to sea. Salt drops fall to ocean leagues like single sheets to libraries for lovers lost and battles won, for softened hearts and souls undone, for wolves that […]
This world, this earth is not my home. (Oh blessed hope, oh hiraeth that quickens now my breath.)Her much hailed princes and her thrones are void of any power to change the heart or bring about shalom. The haughty eyes of man so full of plans they’re bulging out of place, cannot contain the fullness […]
Trauma has no expiration date, no “use by” stamp, no certificate of death. Just when you thought, “Well, I’m glad that’s through,” its fungal rot wraps silent slithering tendrils ‘round your ankles, neck, and arms. Loose at first. Invisible at first. Like a mosquito on your neck, too small to tip a tiny scale or […]
I have been unsure of where to go with my photography website for the past year or so. I am not currently pursuing photography full time as I am working full time at Samaritan Ministries. However, I did not like the idea of zapping all of my images off of the internet forever. I also […]
This song was our comfort on one of the hardest days we have endured together. We held onto each other and cried our eyes out as this song beat its rhythm on our eardrums and hearts. It will never not make me cry because that day ripped us wide open, but it was in that […]
“How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart you begin to understand… there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep, that have taken hold.” – Frodo Baggins Frodo was right. There is […]
The worst text I’ve ever received. The words that pull the air right out of your lungs without your permission. A year ago at almost just this time. The moment you know is guaranteed to come but you are nonetheless completely unprepared for when it does. When I think about it, I still can’t help […]
Rev. 3 1“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I […]
I could never have planned how Burke’s first year out of high school would be. In a million years I would have never imagined we’d get to spend so much “bonus” time together. Never could have imagined we’d be co-workers or that he would be going to University of Kentucky or joining the Air Force. […]
A friend posted this passage tonight, I’m sure for much different reasons than me. It ministered to my soul though as I lay here, awakened by my dreams and kept awake by thoughts that so easily wander and wonder if God can truly be trusted over the fears and anxieties that clamor for mental center-stage. […]
My heart aches this morning as I think about all that is so broken about our world, nation, cities, churches, families, and hearts. As I read the thoughts of people who think the way to prevent children from being unwanted is to violently kill them before they can realize they are unwanted. As I read […]
Tonight I’m struggling to hold onto this truth as I awoke suddenly from a bad dream that brought up flashes of time against my will, things I must daily bury deep at the foot of the cross. Tonight I must hold fast to the truth that peace is something that Jesus brings where there was […]
9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. 10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to […]
Adoption is a beautiful thing. It changes each life touched by it, whether by sheer beauty or by the washing of constant waves of trauma. Not every adoption story involves the same level or variations of difficulties. But it is a double edged sword, for it always involves grief, and often compounded grief. It might […]
Exodus 12:5-6 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, 6and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. How many times have I […]
Isaiah 58 3‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. 4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a […]
We cannot know salvation until we know that the life we need is found only in a dying savior. Our salvation is in the confounding mathematics of Christ that to decrease is to increase, to lose is to gain, to die is to live. Minus equals plus. It goes against everything rational within us. We […]
In some of my darker moments over the last year or so I have cried out to God and asked him why this life has to hurt so much. I felt the darkness wrap around my heart and mind such that it seemed my joy had been stolen from me. But even in those times […]
And I know he watches me… This morning I watched this beautiful, cheerful little friend of ours take his last breath. We saw his lovely lifelong friend fly away after he hit the window with a loud bang and fell to the ground. We heard her calling him from a nearby perch near their nesting […]
It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. – Psalm 118:8 Put not your trust in mere people. This includes those whom you are naturally inclined to trust. Jesus is infinitely more trustworthy than any one person or entity to which you have given too much power in your […]
The more you let go of in order to follow the sometimes terrifying leading of the Holy Spirit, the more you find your greatest treasure is not something you can let go of at all because in fact he won’t let you go. Beyond the Blue by Josh Garrels
Do not believe everything you hear about people. Especially if it doesn’t jive with what you know from actually knowing them. We owe one another a debt of love. That debt being paid is sometimes going to be in the form of the benefit of the doubt. Owe no one anything, except to love each […]
A Winter Prayer Good Maker, I stare at my bare branches and feel naked AshamedDid I not sign up to be Always Spring, Always Green?As I look down I can’t even see my roots All I see is leaf litter, the waste product of my past beauty – which may never come again. But as I think […]
It is the crushing of the serpent’s head by the Seed of the woman. The Seed that died and went into the ground and sprang up to new life. As James 1:18 says we are a kind of firstfruits. We are the buds on the tree of the new creation inaugurated when that shoot of […]
This may come as a terrible shock but people are still going to die in 2017. It is right, of course, to be angry that death plays such a relentless role. And yet we are perennially shocked at its audacity. It’s like an endless game of whack-a-mole. And we hate it for its persistence in […]
Mary has always been the hero in this story to me. Her character came to mind many times as I have labored to beautify the homes God has given us by his grace. And her tenacity and belief in her husband and his devotion to his calling and community has always been a huge inspiration […]
God makes promises to His people. Can you imagine, as a child perhaps, being promised something and never paying attention to what the promise is? Most kids will pretty much never let their dad forget the ice cream he promised, or the puppy, or the special time together. And they will never ever forget what […]
I love it that at Christmas so many people, even those who don’t believe, find themselves singing about a savior who came to earth as a baby, about a world long laid in sin, about a divine night when heaven broke through the night sky and proclaimed to the forgotten and the lowly, that the […]
I’m thankful for God’s faithfulness through the hardest year of my life thus far. I’m thankful for my job and for the opportunity to work with people who love Jesus so much. I am thankful that I get to pray with and minister to hearts that are afraid, in shock, grieving, tremblingly trusting as part […]
The last few weeks on social media has had me going: WT #&%*@! The sadness, fear, and rage that it stirred in me was ugly. This media may be social, but, in many hearts, has only led to forming more polarized tribes. (This point has been made very forcefully and eloquently by Senator Ben Sasse […]
This was my dad’s bill plate, a quintessential ingrained memory for us as kids. He walked in the back door every day holding this. He would kiss mom and then go directly to his cupboard where he would open his bill plate and file all of his paperwork. This system, like much of what made […]
II Samuel 12:7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel… —- For clarity’s sake, Nathan was not a yes man. He was not saying, “You da man, dawg!” He was ripping David’s blinders off so he could see the ugly […]
Apartment ownership/management is not for the faint of heart. It’s hard work. I’m so proud of my mom, sister, brother in law, and nieces in their first “sans Dad” apartment turn-over. My mom found out this was going to be vacated just a few days after Dad died. I was so worried this notification was […]
Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan, because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a […]
We must learn to love as Christ loves us. Giving love. Being present for people in their hardest times. Being living sacrifices. And we must do it all without any expectation that they will be around for us in our loneliest or most painful experiences. None of Jesus’s best friends stood by him or cried […]
It’s good, in the midst of a year of deep losses, to find a thing to do that feeds your soul. I just began painting last year. I have done a few acrylic pieces. The other day I decided I wanted to learn to watercolor so I bought some supplies. I painted an apple and […]
In Sunday School, our teachers have been leading us through the key doctrines that anchor our understanding of the Church and Discipleship. This past Sunday we were discussing the inerrancy and authority of Scripture. The main points emphasized were the Authority and Clarity of Scripture. Scripture is authoritative, not because it is a magic book […]
I was never one for fishing. You used to be happy to sit on a couch or a rocking chair on a porch and ponder. No book in hand. No phone at your fingertips. Nothing to twiddle. Nothing to entertain, besides the world and your brain. Sometimes I wondered how you could just sit and […]
The week your dad dies and all of her grown up kids come home feeling small, quivering like a clutch of ducklings caught in a flash storm, is the week you see what your mom is made of. You see her strength as her adult kids intermittently bury their heads in her neck leaving it […]
Though through the stress and strain of lifemy thread of trust may breakthe cable of his faithfulnessno storm can ever shake. —— These ladies… each have left and are leaving a legacy that has the name of Jesus all over it. Women who have shown me how to love uncomfortably, fiercely, beyond “safety.” They walk […]
Excited. Cheerful. A little wide-eyed but you don’t know why because you’re called and equipped and assured that God’s at your side. You don’t understand, dear friend, that today you walk into the vapor of Satan’s breath, into the very jaws of death. Why at your steps do tremble the very gates of hell? They […]
Are you in Christ? Are you called by His name? If you say yes and amen to this, it is only true because of what HE has done. HE started this work in you and HE will be faithful to complete it. HE bought you with a price. That’s why the fact that he is […]
I love it when I’m reading the Bible and something strikes me as just crazy cool, revealing just a little more of God’s heart for us. I’ve been reading through Exodus lately, and just yesterday came to the part where God parted the Red Sea before the Israelites so that they could walk across on […]
In my recent readings through the Old Testament, in particular, something has jumped out at me a lot about older and younger sons. Older sons were, of course, supposed to receive the lion’s share of any inheritance. Culturally speaking, this was a no-brainer. Older son takes all. But for some reason, we see this culturally […]
It’s interesting how nostalgias are passed down through generations. And it’s significant how strong a reminder food is of the stories that go with it. Growing up, mom would occasionally buy this bizarre tubular food, Boston Brown Bread, known to me as “brown bread in a can.” She bought it because it reminded her of […]
There is no love existent in the light of glory that has not the shadow of sorrow moving around it. Friends, love is inherently risky. It’s dangerous even, because we know some days it will be painful. Some days it will require more than we want to relinquish. When we choose to love another with […]
I love it that people gathered and gazed in awe at the beauty and wonder at God’s amazingly synchronized heavenly light show today. The sense of anticipation. The shouts of wonder. The laughter. Now imagine the Son of God in all of his glory… Revelation 1 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, […]
A fellow Christian, in a conversation I was reading today, mentioned how much of a struggle it is for her to want to offer grace to the racist. I loved her honesty in admitting that she really rather hated them. I think it’s the struggle we all face when we hear of someone promoting an […]
20 years with Shawn. That’s a lot of socks picked up, a lot of stray cereal bowls recovered, a lot of coffee, a lot of lessons learned, a lot of arguments, a lot of “I forgives,” a lot of kisses, a lot of places lived, a lot of pets, a lot of laughter (and a […]
I love all my boys, but I particularly love staying up late and getting to know the hearts of my teenagers better. I love it every bit as much as I did rocking them to sleep when they were babies. Parents, don’t let your frustrations with all the emotions and attitudes that come with the […]
We may argue more than once about every phase of a big project but we share the same big picture. We want to make things pretty and not go broke in the process. This is analogous to our whole marriage. We do bicker and can get into some pretty sticky disagreements but we share a […]
Psalm 10 1Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? 2In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. 3For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses […]
Oh, faithful hurt, the one that heals, that breaks and wounds the heart that feels, come once again and bid me die, tell not my soul a lovely lie. Tell not my heart to heed itself, nor tell my mind to trust its doubts, but wound them gently with your help whose whisper drowns out […]
The silence is long in the night of the soul where the darkness wraps ’round her like a deepening well. But you’re breaking up ground that’s as hard as a rod and you’re growing her roots through the clay and the clod. The spring lies beneath the frost hardened earth that you’re forcing away, and […]
Inspired by Josh Garrels’, “Heaven’s Knife.” I’ll take your hand and won’t let go. You were without help, so alone. I’ve looked for you, the one my heart loves, my life long, as words to a song that we know and knew we’d sing forever. Like the first girl in the garden cleft from your side, I […]
Little One in hibernation let us start your education on the mathematics of your current incubation. Your first lesson, you know, is easy as a piece of pi. One plus one is two and there you are: a gote of zy, a little addition going through cellular division. You grow and grow quite exponentially and at […]
Give me a stick and a box Or an old bald tire. Give me some rocks and a rope, And a place to make fire. Give me your junk and I’ll make worlds to transpire. I’ll make me a sword and a house, A swing and stone wall. I’ll be both pitcher and batter and […]
I’m in the process of reading a great deal of writings by Margaret Sanger in an effort to understand the mind that went into the formation of one of the most diabolical organizations in America today, that of Planned Parenthood. Tonight I spent a good amount of time reading The Pivot of Civilization. (Lots to wade […]
Sing a song of sycophants Pocket full of lies Four to twenty weekers Baked in budget pies. When the pies were opened The birds began to tweet, “Wasn’t that a bloody dish So full of hands and feet.” The queen was in her counting house, Counting out her money; The Dr. at the counter Laughed […]
I’ve been reading some of Margaret Sanger’s writings lately to catch the many obvious flaws but also the many ironies in her thought processes in order to elucidate the trajectory of ideas that led to Planned Parenthood in its current diabolical iteration. Ironically she nailed some real societal ills. She effectively calls out Christians for […]
“Beloved, if it had been possible to destroy the church of God on earth, it would have been destroyed long ago.” -Spurgeon And the gates of hell quiver at her love and submission to His call. For they know she will prevail because every footstep in her humble sojourn on this ball through stormy gale […]
You can’t see it clearly, you don’t even know the emptiness of all of it, cause you’re so caught up in the afterglow of everything you’ve conquered of everyone you’ve bought, the arms of empty strangers, the love of all your stuff that even now disintegrates, gets beaten up and scuffed. For all your fancy […]
Zeph. 3:17 The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Friends, if you are suffering or fearful or afraid that the trials you are facing mean He’s […]
I used Grammarly to grammar check this post because I am suffering from Summer-induced Grammnesia. It’s a serious ailment, common to homeschool moms (and maybe any teacher), wherein your ability to find and detect grammatical errors has been temporarily debilitated due to the summer heat and sudden onset of freedom. Speaking of homeschooling, we are […]
I cry out, O LORD, for your help. Will you not save me or hear my voice? Violence arises, injustice goes forth. Does none of it reach your ear? Does none of it reach your ear? Your glory shall flood the whole earth like water’s that cover the sea so deep. As the fish, we’re […]
We sure do miss our sweet doggy, Bruce. What a gentle friend he was to my boys… and to me over the years. He was an indoor dog which meant he really was part of the family. And even though most of the time he was just lying around the house like a farting, snoring […]
During some of our recent Advent readings I’ve had some great reminders of how God shows HImself in fractals. You know what fractals are, right? Fractals are essentially self-similar repeating patterns whether you view them from far off or extremely close-up. They are all over the place in nature. They are where math and art meet. As […]
I’m not sure what happened. It’s all a blur. I went to the feed store innocently seeking a few bags of chick feed and somehow I accidentally came home with 10 pounds of chick feed, 2 little rats and 5 pounds of rat food. You are probably now EEEKing or (like me) AWWWing. I had […]
That night when you find that you’re lonely, and the dark clouds of gloom seem to rise, the feeling you have you’ll go hungry that the cupboard and shelf might be bare and the world is upturned and your trust has been spurned, like chaff blown away on the air; Fear not, little flock, fear […]
I’m sort of actually misquoting a malapropism once made by my then three year old. He was jumping and spinning circles on my bed when he declared with a pirouette, “I’m a Ballaweiner!” Also known as a Ballerina. Conflicting visions of Oscar Meyer Hotdogs smothered in mustard and onions wearing tutus and toe shoes danced […]
Amazing. Play it loudly. Really loudly. Close your eyes. There is more, friends. See the city through your tears? It shines with His glorious face. Into the land of the living Black bleeds orange into blue I am coming to life, Light is breaking throughI can hear the bells in the city Across the ancient […]
That’s what my husband calls me. Tawanda. Remember Fried Green Tomatoes? When Kathy Bates goes berserk, repeatedly ramming her hoopty-mobile into the car of the pernicious youthful mocker who had cut her off in the parking lot of the Piggly Wiggly? (Or was it Winn-Dixie? I can’t keep my southern supermarkets straight.) Or when she decided […]
Rivers and powers and rulers and kings rise and fall on the moon-driven tides of the weary old world’s papery strings, taut with the tension of tug o’war sides.
I’m officially a chicken lady. I’ve always been a little cuckoo but now it’s official. I am cuckoo for chickens. We rent a house on the lot that my parents own and live on. The garden in the yard has become my passion, along with the chickens. Mom and Dad had two chickens that had […]
(For my friends who grieve.) Walk with me or I walk alone. I cannot talk; There are no words. Nothing helps or heals this broken open gaping wide jagged edges bleeding on the inside. I’m like a vapor. Barely here and still I Walk walk walk. Walk with me as my covering in the black […]
Write a post about How to Write A Fabulous Blog Post. The end. Now that I have that out of the way I’m going to get on to what I actually want to write about. It’s going to be a fabulous blog post. Or not. That was so mean. I’m sorry SEO people!! But go […]
We like to pronounce Yosemite as though we are making a Hooked on Phonics infomercial. Yo Semite. Yo. We went there, yo. Totally dude. Um… check out the butterfly. It’s been forever since we had been to Yosemite…. Since our honeymoon more than 15 years ago which is actually just shy of forever. Funny story that… […]
I got to do a pop-up photo shoot last weekend for my niece and her BFF. They’ve been pals since they were embryos. Okay, so I snuck a few pictures of my other nieces too. Who could blame me? Best friends are… well… the best. My best friend, growing up, was April. We met on […]
Who doesn’t love going to the fair and letting their hair down for a bit? I do. (Love going to the fair, that is.) Sure, you eat too much of all bad foods. You might find yourself inhaling the mingled smells of cow patties, axle grease, corn dogs, beer and cotton candy and wonder how […]
I’ve been spending a lot of time in the garden over the past several weeks. I have been a dirty, dirty woman. I am the kind of lady that goes out to just “check on” the garden and suddenly finds that she’s been outside for an hour and has now ruined her third pair of […]
Mine in particular.
One thing I’ve learned about the internet is that it’s selective. Good bloggers are selective with what they share. They generally avoid sharing too many piles of dirty laundry. They might share the occasional “keepin’ it real – This is my morning face” kind of pictures but they know that too much of that will […]
Over the past few months I’ve taken to calling my oldest son, “Tonsil Boy.” He has had Strep Throat 5 times in a row… I think it’s 5 anyway. A lot. I’ve lost count. No sooner would he finish a round of antibiotics before coming down with it again. Essentially someone in our house has […]
You never expect that repatriating will be more difficult, financially, than expatriating! I’m no finance guru. And I’m not planning to blog about money or financial advice on a regular basis but I just wanted to share one important thing we’ve learned through the process of being expats and then repatriating and trying to reestablish […]
Are there ever really enough flowers? No. Heaven will have never-ending flowers, I think, because flowers are good for you. It’s true. That is a lovely one, is it not? I feel healthier already. The happy tulips smile still, their cheerful petals like a frill, like a laugh, a twirling girl whose skirt spins ’round […]
I don’t know why I thought of this today. Maybe it’s because we went in to sign our tax forms today and the lady at the reception desk smiled at our brood and said, “It looks like you have a couple of deductions!” I just thought it sounded like a great congratulatory greeting card from […]
So I had seen this old brass pineapple lamp at my mom’s house and figured that it wasn’t super special to anyone a while ago. I had asked my Mom if I could have it a while back but never went over and got it. Flames shooting out the knob of a table lamp in […]
I’ve been wanting… nay, needing more storage space for my kitchen. Our house is actually an upstairs/downstairs duplex with a shared front door and indoor stairs. So basically it’s a house with extra doors, if that makes any sense at all. This means that technically […]
Today I bought an old ugly dresser with nice bones at the local thrift store. It was just your standard 1970’s wood dresser. I brought it home, sanded the living daylights out of it and painted it a vibrant teal. Yes. You heard me right. Teal. Pictures to come soon. But as I wait for […]
UPDATE: The winner of the super cute shoes is Meredith Montgomery! Congratulations Meredith! E-mail me with your information and I’ll get your pretty shoes in the mail ASAP! ______ This post will be about shoes. It will be about you (if you wear size 8 1/2) being able to win a pair of shoes that my […]
They are literally threatening to go naked. Now granted, part of this is due to the fact that they have not been faithfully bringing their laundry down and running it through. But the large pile of clothes on my floor will attest to the fact that I’m not always the best at getting the laundry […]
My kids have been home educated pretty much their whole lives. Two of them did a brief stint in public school when I was down with a pretty brutal virus and its brutally brutal neurological after-effects. For the most part homeschooling has been something we have done not only out of personal conviction that it […]
I really want to post about Blissdom and I will. I really will. (promise!) I will post a ton of pictures and spill my everlovin’ guts about the whole experience. But it was so big. So very big. Nothing else seemed to exist for those days outside of the Opryland Hotel. But for some reason […]
I love everything about this picture. It was my Mom’s SOMETHINGth birthday. (She doesn’t believe the number and neither do I so why mention it?) And we sort of surprised her by showing up at lunchtime and then staying all day and then making fajitas for dinner and then making a 4 layer vanilla cake […]
Last night, I got home from Blissdom and was exhausted in every way. Top that off with the fact that I was sick. I think gastroenteritis is the culprit. Ugh. I did not want to cook and hubby had just done 5 days solo with our 4+1 kids and wasn’t up to cooking either. My […]
When we lived in Canada, we used to go to the mall just in order to get out of the house when it was too cold to go anywhere else. Since moving back home to California, we have only set foot in a mall about maybe 10 times (not including strip malls that include things […]
This morning I read this post by Alece at Grit and Glory. Basically she argues against the common Christian sentiment, “If God wants us there, then everything will work out. The doors will keep opening for us, and everything will just come together.” I must say that I agree with her. Of course most people probably […]
Before my husband left for his orientation in Phoenix with Food for the Hungry, we decided that we wanted a fun way for Daddy to share with the kids where in the world he was and what he did throughout his time. While his travels won’t necessarily be far and wide just yet, he will […]
My hunkahunkaburninlove comes home from Staff Orientation in Arizona at Food for the Hungry tomorrow. Oh, I’m so happy. I’m so happy he’s coming home but I’m so so happy he loves his job. I’m so excited about this organization. I’m very thankful. But I’m still really happy he’s coming home tomorrow. It’s not quite the […]
Jesus loves me, this I know For the Bible tells me so Little ones to Him belong, They are weak but HE is strong WE are weak. We are cast down. We are burdened. We are mournful, weary, empty, shaking and crumpled at our savior’s feet. We cannot even lift our heads. What becomes of […]
My “old” bloggy buddy from way back when, Darcy, reminded us that we moms need to get in the picture. As a photographer and as a self-critical woman, I am definitely one of those that does not like to get in the picture. I like my place behind the camera thankyouverymuch. I don’t seem to […]
For our friends today and for all who grieve as ones with hope…
Wow. What a marathon of a birthday. My 35th was a strange, sad, happy, crazy, blessed birthday. Started my birthday by finishing watching The Help with Shawn at around 12:30 a.m. Woke up at 5:00 to get ready to take the Mr. to the airport for his 10 days of orientation with Food for the […]
Joys and sorrows crows and sparrows droughts and downpours hearts and arrows Is life ever and forever all a mix of pain and pleasure Blood and water ice and fire grace and graveyards doom and shire hopes and fears crowns and crosses cribs and caskets gains and losses Will the always be a never this […]
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5.2
Oh, there is a day, and it hurts like hell, when it seems like the sun has gone away, soul sorrow so deep that no mouth can tell, but Jesus has felt it on the world’s darkest day. Sleep will not come and tears will not end, the sorrow so great it’s just under your […]
Sam’s question is the cry of our hearts today. But Sam lay back, and started with open mouth, and for a moment, between bewilderment and great joy, he could not answer. At last has gasped: ‘Gandalf! I thought you were dead! But then I thought I was dead myself. Is everything sad going to come untrue? What’s […]
Today I read Fahrenheit 451 for the first time ever? I can’t believe I graduated high school almost 17 years ago and I just now read this book? Pathetic. Oh my goodness. It couldn’t be a more timely read. Took me about 15 pages to get into it and to get passed, or rather accustomed to, the […]
I recently read this post by Ed Stetzer along with other articles on the same subject several weeks back. I must humbly say that I am both truly sad and disappointed about this 6%. Our lives are not our own, our time is not our own, our money is not our own, The Lord’s Day […]
I’m tired. Too tired to come up with a fetching title. Physically, emotionally, spiritually and in every other way. Tired. I’m tired of the daily grind, the trials and responsibilities of parenting, homeschooling, cooking, working, looking for work for my husband. Tired of moving and tired of thinking of moving. Tired of messes, stresses, laundry, […]
It had been so long. I can hardly remember our last family hike, something which we used to do quite often, especially when we lived in Calgary. Here we seem to have become so busy with all of life that hiking has sadly managed to slip way down on the list of possible things to […]
I, as you know, am a mom of four boys. Four boys who, tonight in particular, can sometimes drive me mad with their incessant boyish craziness. Love them and all but sometimes I seriously just feel a wee tad alone (no offense, Cupcake, but you don’t much count for making me feel a lot of […]
My baby is now six. Last night I was recalling with my sister how I felt the day that I gave birth to my fourth baby. My belly, mere moments after birth, for the first time in four deliveries, seemed to know just how to behave and went back to its prior size (not that […]
Someone this morning posited the question; “If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain”. Anyone else think this applies to home educating? How? The rainbow… A sign of God’s promise not to destroy us all…. yes, I need that regularly. We are a testy bunch. The rain of trials and testing […]
Recently, in the heat of my 1st world miserable annoyance with FB as fellow human beings around the world go hungry and without the knowledge of a savior, I was pondering the role of FB in my life. I was pondering, “hmm… what did we do with all of our unexpressed thoughts before FB (and […]
God is teaching me so much about His grace and infinite mercy and kindness lately. Circumstances are not ideal and they rarely are for our own liking. As humans we always can think of something, diminutive or grandiose, worth tweaking that would presumably make circumstances just *that* much more pleasant for us, one way or […]
My oldest child just turned 11 yesterday. It’s hard to believe I’m old enough to be the parent of a pre-teen. Really hard to believe. As in, I don’t think it’s possible. I’m still 23. He received art supplies, as per his request, for his birthday. Paints, brushes, etc. Today he whipped them all out […]
Last night I was awakened at 3 a.m. by someone who didn’t feel well. Unfortunately for me that meant that I could not fall back asleep until about 6 a.m. because I was decorating our new place (that we move into in about 3-4 weeks) in my head and the decorator in my brain would […]
The boys are involved in a local church’s AWANA scripture memory program which they all really love. Each week has some sort of theme. This past week was crazy hair night. While one of my kids was initially reticent about participating (well, actually more negative than mere reticence) I eventually convinced him to “let down […]
Gentle Shepherd, fierce protector bind my wounds, my soul inspector. Table turner, Humble servant break my heart, and crush the serpent. Sea Commander, water walker calm my spirit as I falter. Gracious Savior, sin’s contender grant my heart a calm surrender. King anointed, older brother let me never serve another. World creator, people buyer, wash […]
Words are like clouds that float out of reach, hovering vapors, looking solid to touch, they come in as thoughts that drift into speech, like sprinkles or showers, too little or much. Some words like cirrus are high wisps of cloud if the pressure agrees and conditions are nice, but many will make their way […]
Stuck-on sparkles, old elastic metal clips and see-through plastic, Bits of paper, string and glue, little flecks of I-love-you. A stick with arms, some legs, a head, some frizzled hair (just bits of thread) “It’s you!” a finger points in ballyhoo to little marks of I-love-you. Some hearts float ’round about the air A rainbow […]
You fashioned us in Imago Dei, soft moons to the sun’s bright glorious ray. We see through a glass though dimly light, a pallid opaque between morning and night. We are but mirrors all broken and cracked, your light, we, in imperfect prisms refract. Coram Deo, we live under your gaze, though your face yet […]
I have silly boys. They are funny and witty and artistic and creative and all the wonderful (and maddening) things that come along with that kind of personality. They surprise me with their creations. Sometimes I’m floored by the ingenuity. And then other times I just scratch my head and wonder. And then let out […]
Life has such a way of sneaking up on you and getting busy doesn’t it? I for one like it. And then I experience the relief of getting back to routine. It’s all just a matter of riding the waves on the peaks and the troughs. This past year has been more of a ride […]
Everyone needs to see this. As English speaking Christians we have completely lost the wonder and amazement of being able to read God’s word in our own language. We have copies of it everywhere… Lord, that I might treasure your word as these people do. My husband and I wept as we watched this and […]
Tonight during our advent reading we read about Mary. The reading pointed out that she was really the very first Christian. Kiss the Son She was the first one that believed, the first to call Him Savior, her savior Jesus, she received, was Emmanuel inside her. The Holy Spirit wrought in Mary salvation’s only hope […]
You were cast off and deserted like a wife, in your spirit you were grieved for the innocence of youth you lost. Your spirit was ravaged and bereaved. You were afraid and shaken like a widow, confounded at your sure disgrace. But you shall not feel your loss forever, the memory of reproach shall be […]
Jesus, the true Adam Jesus, the true Joshua Jesus, the true Moses Jesus, the true Israel Jesus, our Immanuel Israel once fled to Egypt’s gleams during famine in their own lands. God ordained it through Joseph’s dreams and Israel’s sons’ corrupted hands. Jesus was ushered to Egypt too. Corruption of Israel’s “sons,” it would seem, […]
It is real, man. It’s a pretty special bond. And it goes both ways. What do you think he’s thinking about here? I can tell you. He wants a sandwich. Dream on Bruce. You wish.
Oh Christian, take heart, no need for despair for hope is the thing that is filling the air! No fear for tomorrow or what is to come for Christ is the King and earth his Kingdom! At Christmas we hear the songs of the king the babe in the manger who changed everything. We hear […]
How can I answer the Lord of Hosts? Behold, I am of lowly account. I can do nothing but cover my mouth. Before God to what do I amount? I’ve spoken once, which was one too much I will not attempt to answer the Lord. Should I proceed and answer twice, the aftermath I could […]
A whirlwind thundered and God spoke aloud demanding, “Who dares question God? You speak as if you know my ways, as if you hold my measuring rod! Tell, me if you understand it all! Where were you when I laid out the earth, when the sea was established in form? Where were you on the […]
Recently I heard some arguments from Christians that God doesn’t test us. A look through scripture will clearly reveal the opposite though. God most definitely tests us. Clearly we don’t like the idea of tests. They make us squirm. They might make us feel sick. We are typically afraid of failure. As I thought about […]
Who is righteous before our God? Who can contend with his might? One could give a thousand answers, but not a one would be right. Wise in heart and mighty in strength, He seals up the stars and rules the sun. In his anger the mountains he uproots, for who can ask, “God, what have […]
Hallelujah! Salvation and glory belong to Him Each one of His judgments is true and just. For He has crushed underfoot the whoring one who corrupted the earth with her craven lust. For all of the righteous who e’er have been slain He’s avenged upon her that blemished His name. The blood of His prophets […]
I’m going to start this by saying that there are several reasons we homeschool. This post is not meant to capture all of those reasons but merely a facet, or small portion, of just one of those many reasons. A lot of Christian people I know think that home education is somehow doing a disservice […]
I’m sitting here at the park watching my boys play. Jumping, leaping, climbing, and pretty much doing anything that they think worth the risk of failure and injury. Play is work for them. It is learning. They are playing at what is a good risk and what is a bad risk. I once had a […]
All things seem very large to us as children because we are so small. People seem big, cars seem big, buildings seem big… everything. Big, big, big. And as we grow those things seem to shrink somehow, sometimes to disappointing proportions because we are bigger, we’ve seen more, we know more. We’re not looking up […]
In the beginning was the Word, the Word by which the world was given birth, the only Word that holds all things together and brought salvation to the earth. This Word is with and is our God, that Word which is the light of all mankind. This Word which is a lamp unto our footsteps, […]
Long ago and far away were heavy hearts struck deep with hope, with longing stare unto the distant “over there,” with a sigh, a tear. It seemed like dreaming, to some a joke, this hope they held so tight Whispers of peace and land and liberty fell on every listening ear. Farther still in other […]
I have learned a new song this past week and I am rather ODing on it at this point. I really like ODing on songs of praise to our God. I don’t think I can quite do it often enough. Something tells me I won’t get bored at all with all the constant praise going […]
Emphasis on NUT. Cause my kids are nuts. But their my nuts. And I love ’em. This is a soldier. Private Ryan? I don’t know really. Someone brave and rugged though. And looking shell-shocked. My Motley Crew This is what happened when I said, “Get in character!!” This is Igor. This is my little Rescue […]
Common Grief by Edith Hays Mulligan (my Great Grandmother) We are all crushed in the winepress of a common grief, squeezed by death one way or another, yielding a drink sweet as wine or bitter as vinegar, a thank offering to God or a sour sponge to the parched lips of a crucified Christ. The […]
Over the past few months you have followed my story and prayed with me and for me, that God might heal me and give me rest. There were many nights that I lay awake remembering, admittedly at times with bitterness, His promise, “…for he grants sleep to those he loves.” I am pleased to tell […]
Today I walked in on my kids doing this: Kids Singing Welcome Wagon from Nancy Doud on Vimeo. And lest I be accused of false advertising, my kids do not spend all of their time in exuberant praise and worship, singing songs from Malachi. If only it were so. They spend the other 3/4 of […]
