Gaining a heart of wisdom
Long lashes against his pale cheeks, my youngest son was sleeping soundly despite the beeping and whirring backdrop of the children’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The ambulance ride, the endless testing and probing, and the grim diagnosis were secondary now to my boy’s constant pain, his fear, and the question marks that persisted hour after… Continue reading Declaration of Dependence
Sunlight slanted through the passenger-side window, and a light breeze lifted the pages of the Bible that was propped against the steering wheel to make room for the notebook in my lap. Middle school band practice always lasted 45 minutes -- not long enough to bother going home. And since the older children were all… Continue reading Can Busy Mums Really Find Time to Spend with God? (Part 1)
The average human being lives approximately 30,000 days -- which sounded like a long stretch of time until I did the math and discovered that, as of today, I will have lived 20,005 of mine. Catherine L. Morgan envisions these Thirty Thousand Days as a journey home, traveling on a rattle trap train toward a sure… Continue reading Standing Ready to Be Amazed
Last year, I started keeping a list of prayer requests, dated and described, and then, to my great surprise -- answers! Clear direction for a son, help and success in a ministry opportunity, a new and wonderful job for my husband. Reviewing the list from time to time, I'm reminded to give thanks, and I'm… Continue reading God Moves Mountains When Women Pray
It is reasonable to think that a book like Street of Eternal Happiness could be written about any stretch of road on the planet -- even this country hill where white clapboards and long driveways are separated by acres of margin. Even here, I'm sure this winding road is lined on both sides with serial narratives. The… Continue reading Living the Chinese Dream
Hand in tiny hand they meandered their way down the aisle, flower girl and ring bearer, each gripping a bouquet, searching the crowded pews for the faces of their grandmothers. I can't recall ever seeing a more beautiful flower arrangement than the one with the dangling rose that I received from my grandson at his… Continue reading Musings — June 2017
The Bible is the world's best-selling and most widely distributed book. A Huffpost Survey indicates that 88% of respondents own a Bible, yet only 1 in 5 Americans read the Bible on a regular basis. At one end of the spectrum are those who consider it alongside and equivalent to any other ancient text. At… Continue reading Is Reading the Bible Different from Reading Any Other Book?
Glory is everywhere in these short days of summer. A walk to the mailbox overloads the senses with unusual bird sightings, progress in the garden, and the frenzied buzzing of bee scouts filling their saddle bags with the makings for a flourishing life. Clyde Kilby* laments: "One of the greatest tragedies of the fall is… Continue reading The Familiar Glories
Most days on this country hill are a blur. With every line in my planner filled, there's also the background music of laundry and continual cleaning. In the winter, there's a voracious wood stove; in the summer there's a garden that needs constant attention. Of course, at the far right side of this equation of… Continue reading The Work of Home
"What's your family's favorite movie?" my friend Melanie asked me. She was working on a post about great family-friendly movies to watch over the summer. Would I choose a movie and write a review for her to share with her readers?" Of course, I would! Cue the popcorn-scented memories of boys in pajamas, four abreast… Continue reading Amazing Summer Movies for Families to Enjoy
