Gaining a heart of wisdom
Book lovers will understand me when I say that I have been "talking about" decluttering my jam-packed bookshelves for at least a year. I need to do it, and the only way to do it is to rip off the Band-Aid and just start giving books away. In one afternoon of energetic zeal, I culled… Continue reading Own Less, Love More, and Make an Impact in Your World
A photo snapped at just the right time becomes a treasure, a way of holding on to a memory or a season. Twenty years ago, we were visiting friends at a Vermont lakeside cabin. The location was a childhood dream come true. We all swam together—until I realized that we were swimming with big, grumpy… Continue reading Practical Wisdom for an Unhurried Childhood
My days in elementary school classrooms offer me a priceless window into the minds of young humans. In some ways, the things they value, the hand-holds they grip for meaning and significance, haven't changed since I was in elementary school. There's really no such thing as "the good old days." Athleticism, confidence, a snappy personality,… Continue reading What Does It Mean to Be a Human Being Today?
As hard as it might be to believe, the "influencers" of my formative years were ordinary people. I actually knew them, ate at their tables, rode in their cars, and, in some cases, even slept in their guest rooms. I was formed and influenced by high school teachers, a nursing assistant, and an assortment of… Continue reading The Power and the Promise of Your Ordinary Life
You don't need me to tell you that these are anxious days we're living in. Even if you limit your news intake as I do, the headlines are beyond belief, and it's easy to let our hearts slide into unhealthy rhythms. I've said it before here, and I'll say it again: We fall back onto… Continue reading Calm Your Anxious Heart with Rich Devotional Reading
Suddenly, I have a grandson who is almost as tall as I am. It happened this winter. After a couple of weeks of quick hellos and brief connections, I finally got a whole day with him and his siblings, and there he was, standing there with his brown eyes looking straight into mine. His growth… Continue reading Sometimes the Greatest Transformation Comes When You’re Not Looking
One of my favorite church life memories was summer Vacation Bible School. The program was all-hands-on-deck as we decorated the sanctuary and the fellowship hall, welcomed the kids, provided snacks, played crazy games, sang enthusiastic songs that fit the theme, and sent them home with gospel truth on replay in their little brains. Everyone, from… Continue reading What Does It Mean to Be God’s Forever Family?
I read the quotation, scrawled in purple ink in the margin of my Bible, and I silently scolded myself for not recording the source.1 Then I read it again: "Good works are to grace what a pail is to water—a container to get it from the well to the supper table." Sometimes we wonder why… Continue reading The Miracle Drug that Will Make You Happier and Healthier
Ash Wednesday always catches me by surprise, usually landing somewhere in the midst of bleak February (occasionally on Valentine's Day!) and with absolutely no fanfare. I've written before about reclaiming Lent for Christ and reviving a biblical understanding of lament, so it's no secret that I believe the observance of Lent as preparation for Easter… Continue reading Surprised by Costly Joy in the Season of Lent
Family ties are God’s great gift for teaching us how to get along. If I had never had children, I would imagine all sorts of good things about myself that are not true—that I am patient and unselfish, tolerant and quick to forgive. Living in close proximity with four sons, a mortal husband, and a… Continue reading The Great Gift of Living with Your Fallen Family
Living Our Days 