Gaining a heart of wisdom
November ushers in my favorite holiday. It's the Gratitude Season—days for making a conscious effort to say "Thank YOU!" to God for all the blessings, big and small, that we take for granted most of the time. Psalm 118 begins with gratitude for God's goodness and mercy, and then proceeds to give evidence to back… Continue reading Most of All, Thank You for Being God
I have a bag for everything. Maybe you do as well? If I grab the right bag as I walk out the door, I'm in business. This morning, with "the church bag" in hand, I'm pondering this question: What do you bring with you when you come to God? Psalm 95 suggests thanksgiving as cargo:… Continue reading Gratitude Is Not Limited to the Month of November
With eyes sparkling, my grandson came to the door, cookie in hand, and grinned through the window. He waved at me with his free hand and then pointed to the cookie. "Thanks, Bam!" he shouted and with a leap, he was off the deck and on to more important business, but the moment stopped me… Continue reading Gratitude Is Solid Evidence of the Transaction of Grace from God
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Even in this season of the empty nest, I value its uncomplicated requirement of gathering with loved ones, preparing a meal featuring everyone's favorites, and cultivating a spirit of gratitude to carry throughout the year. Of course, that last one can be a little challenging, right? I keep catching myself… Continue reading Can I Really Persevere in Daily Gratitude as a Matter of Obedience?
Sunday Scripture "How odd," I thought as the word jumped off the page and into my startled brain. I'd never noticed it before, but there was the word thanksgiving, dangling off the end of the sentence like an afterthought: Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him… Continue reading A Purposeful Thanksgiving Life is More Than an Afterthought
Welcome to the season of ceaseless striving! Of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas are never billed that way, and I truly hope that it's NOT your experience! However, if you're paying close attention to all the flickering candles and peaceful white twinkly lights on your Instagram feed, it's entirely possible that you're getting a different version… Continue reading A Peaceful and Joyful Holiday Season Begins with a Request for Rest
Switching the microphone over to my left hand, I hooked my right thumb into my skirt pocket to still the trembling. My always-forgiving church family might have attributed the tremor to nerves--and it's even more likely they didn't notice it at all. But I noticed it, and while I find this symptom of Parkinson's disease… Continue reading Celebrate Grace and Gratitude on the Coat Tails of Mourning
Sunday Scripture and Book Talk How much does worry weigh? By my observation, enough to round the shoulders, slow the step, and lengthen the daily darkness. Worry absorbs energy, steals sleep, and dampens conversation. My time spent in public school classrooms warns me that even our children are not immune to worry, for it's not… Continue reading A Great Alternative to Worry and Two Resources to End Your Ceaseless Striving
The distance around my elliptical driveway is one-tenth of a mile. I know this because I drove around it, watching the odometer—and then did it again just to be sure. Sometimes in the fall, I take a careful jog-trot around its leaf-strewn gravel, a compromise intended to jump-start a flagging metabolism without putting undue wear… Continue reading The Benefit of Keeping an Open Mind to the Possibility of Gratitude
Have you ever gritted your teeth over an annoying behavior in your child--only to connect the dots back to its origin in your own behavior? The power of example is monumental in parenting, and nowhere is it more needful than in the area of gratitude. I'm welcoming the month of November with a guide to… Continue reading 5 Great Resources for Raising Grateful Kids
Living Our Days 