God is in the business of giving good and perfect gifts—gifts I am sometimes unaware I even need. Gifts that surprise me and overwhelm me, that drown me and sink me deep into His great love—His love with skin and flesh on … this, the body of Christ. I know because I have experienced its […]
Unexpected Turns
It was their first…and it was supposed to be a boy. And there had been two lavishing shower events full of all things boyish and blue. And they had imagined and pondered and anticipated his birth for months, preparing the room, washing the clothes, selecting his name, and dreaming of this very day. And the […]
Seeing the Gifts
Perspective is everything, and seeing is only for those who are willing to look. And for a long time I didn’t really see the gifts that were from Him. In my self-centered world I focused on what wasn’t, and missed them before my very eyes…His generous gifts. Gifts from His heart to mine…the ones He […]
Hope and Thanks
There I am, standing in the vastness of the auditorium, in the presence of thousands…my high-maintenance-morning-Starbucks drink in the cupholder…and the worship slowing…a pause, for us to all ponder and consider Him. And my eyes catch the glimpse of the cross on the wall, illuminated from behind. And my mind flashes to the images of Him upon it. And I am humbled, […]
Choose Joy
Joy, and her friend happiness, are so very different. Joy transcends circumstances and goes beyond the now… Happiness lives in the moment and comes and goes with its whims. Joy resides deep within, and originates from the core of who we are… Happiness resides in the circumstance, whatever it may be. Joy is from […]
Undone
As he slammed the car door and walked away, it felt as if part of my heart had been ripped from me. This six-foot-two son’s back, moving farther and farther away. I watched as he opened the front door and walked right straight through, no turning back. How had this impasse even developed? How could this […]
Moments and Chances for Grace-Giving
I sat at the restaurant table frustrated…could this really be happening? {Their menu had changed again, for the fourth time in a year, and I suppose they think it is creative marketing to always be reinventing their menu.} But why must they ALWAYS eliminate my favorite dish? And so I ordered something similar, …or so I thought. […]
Grateful…
Today I’m joining Lisa-Jo over at her site to take five minutes and just write without worrying if it’s just right or not. The challenge is to write for 5 minutes flat with no editing, tweaking or self critiquing, with the prompt she gives. And today, her prompt: Grateful…. GO! Grateful for my hard-working husband and his […]
