Gaining a heart of wisdom
Part Four: Carols I Want My Grandchildren to Know Christmas baking here in the Morin compound involves eleven different recipes. Most of the goodies are either carried or mailed offsite, and having a generous supply on hand makes party food, unexpected guests, and random gifting quite stress-free—even enjoyable. But looking at the list at the… Continue reading Overcome Christmas Discouragement by Remembering Your Powerful Why
(The voice of a grieving mother after Herod's Slaughter of the Innocents based on the biblical accounts in Matthew 2:16-18; Jeremiah 31:15; Isaiah 61:1-3) There was no angel appearance to my husband -- No timely warning granted for us to flee the danger and death of Herod's sword. Know that I, too, would have fled.… Continue reading The Christmas Story No One Wants to Talk About
Part Three: Carols I Want My Grandchildren to Know The word hope has been gutted by misuse to the point where it's a flimsy thing, a wish thrown out into the universe, a desire held close to one's heart. Christmas allows us to fill the word hope back up again with true biblical meaning. The… Continue reading Christmas Hope for the Fears of All the Years
Part Two: Carols I Want My Grandchildren to Know We live in a world described by C.S. Lewis's devil Screwtape as "The Kingdom of Noise." When we're not being assaulted by ringing phones or pinging notifications, we have podcasts and playlists pouring into our ears as if listening to something might actually be our real… Continue reading Wishing You a Silent and Holy Christmas in the Kingdom of Noise
Part 1--Carols I Want My Grandchildren to Know Expectation and Christmas are long-time friends. Tantalizing gifts under a sparkling tree, anticipated gatherings with loved ones, seasonal parties, and special menus that happen only in December add to the expectational cocktail that has become North American Christmas. Taken in reasonable doses, this festive anticipation fuels a… Continue reading It’s Christmas Time! What Is Your Hope? What Are You Waiting For?
What will you be reading during Advent this year? Will you return to an old favorite devotional book or crack open a classic by Dickens or O. Henry? Do you find that your reading during Advent prepares your heart for deeper joy and a more meaningful celebration? We are blessed in 2023 with a rich… Continue reading 4 New Christmas Books to Deepen Your Joy as You Celebrate Jesus
I'm reading through the psalms again. Again! Funny how the Bible's prayer book keeps reverting to mundane words on a page as I hurry my way through this spiritual discipline with other tasks taking up space in my brain. Some days, however, the words and the Spirit find their mark, and I really do find… Continue reading Reset Your Pace to Walk with the God Who Leads You Beside Waters of Rest
Maybe the idea of a Peaceful Christmas feels a bit like an oxymoron by mid-December? The plans you laid on December 1st have dissolved, and now at the end of your rope, you've tied a knot and are hanging on until Christmas is in the rearview mirror once again. It's not too late to start… Continue reading How Can I Become an Instrument of Peace at Christmas Time?
Advent Series Part Three: Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6) Both my grandsons have been created in the express image of their fathers, which amounts to a temperamental salad bar of sensitivity, willfulness, and a worldview that sees all of life as a multiple-choice quiz--and all the answers are "None of the Above." This shared understanding has… Continue reading The Importance and the Blessing of an Understanding Father
Advent Series Part Two: Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6) Learning to live with Parkinson's Disease has been a crash course in acknowledging my limits. I'm grateful for brain-training exercises from my physical therapist designed to counteract the drawing inward and the self-protective shrinkage of movement that comes with uncertain balance, joint pain, and the unpredictability of… Continue reading Living Within Limits and Loving a God Who Has No Limits
Living Our Days 