Female Fridays
“Mommy, why is there a man sleeping on our back deck?” asked my oldest daughter. “That’s actually a funny one!” I said, dismissing her as I unpacked the groceries. “No, seriously, there is a man on our back deck!” I looked out and there sat a very scary looking man, fast asleep in my deck chair. I immediately called 911, set the house alarm, and snapped a few pictures of him with my camera. Almost two weeks had gone by since my husband left on a military deployment. He is in the Reserves, so we were completely blind-sided by his [...]
Wedded Wednesdays
She always sat right in the center on the aisle. Never without a hat, and never in a pair of pants, she graciously greeted and visited with those who walked by her. When I came by, she always greeted me with excitement and a warm hug! Quickly, she would rummage through her perfectly matched pocket book (as she called it) to find candy for me. She was my grandmother, and I loved her dearly. I think many in the church probably assumed she was a widow, because she never once had her husband with her. But she was not [...]
Thirsty Thursdays
I can’t get my mind off of it now. A few days ago I read again the account of when Moses saw the burning bush, you know the one that was burning but would not burn out. Moses was curious, but completely unaware that he had actually stumbled into the very Presence of God. The thought came to mind, “Moses, HOLY was in your face!” Exodus 3:3-6 (Msg) gives me the impression that had God not spoken out loud, Moses may have paused, but then just walked on by. “Moses said, ‘What’s going on here? I can’t believe this! [...]
Female Fridays
I am a slow burn. My family of origin had a very firm, but unspoken rule: don’t show anger. I literally can not remember more than one time when either of my parents unleashed anger in a public manner. So, I learned to do a slow burn, meaning I smiled sweetly on the outside, while my stomach churned on the inside and my face went from pink to fire-red. In other words, I wasn’t allowed – no, rather it was expected that in the event I might get “all worked up” over something, there was actually no place to [...]
Female Fridays
Christmas is all about gifts, but not gifts you put under your Christmas tree. The kind I’m referring to are in the Christmas story in the Bible. The first gift was from Mary. God sent an angel to tell her she would have a son that would reign forever. What would her parents say? What would Joseph say? Who would ever believe her? Did she have any idea that one day she would stand at the foot of a cross and look up at her precious baby suffering for a world that could have cared less? Mary’s response to the [...]
Wedded Wednesdays
Do you have a list? No, not a shopping list, but a list of qualities you would like to have in a husband? Maybe you’ve never actually written them down on a piece of paper but the list runs through your head? What quality would top your list? If you’ve never been married, maybe your list would consist of characteristics you have dreamed of since you were very young. If you have been married before, maybe your list has changed and now consists of qualities you didn’t see before or ones that are the opposite of what you have already [...]
Mommy Mondays
I can’t even count the number of books I’ve read since becoming a parent. My night stand used to be filled with books that challenged my soul and mind. Now they range from breastfeeding to discipline to yes, even, potty time. But there is one thing I’ve learned that books can’t tell me: Only Chris and I will know how best to raise our kids. I don’t say that to sound prideful or conceited. I certainly don’t say it because we are experts in all things parenting (or even a few things). But I have been convicted that at some [...]
Female Fridays
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to speak kindness over others, but faced with just yourself you come up with nothing? Last week I went in for what I call my oil change with my counselor. I’m not in a season where I need intense and regular counseling, but I like going every so often just to check in. Mainly because she is one of the wisest, godliest women I have ever met and I love getting her insight on my life. After a while of chatting she got this smile, the kind that makes you feel like [...]
Female Fridays
Jealousy. There are many things written that address how to contain its symptoms, yet I never seemed to get more than a weak grip on that dark, twisted root that had lodged itself deep inside. That was the problem…I expected to extract something I didn’t even understand. How do I pull it out? Why was it still there? How could I be completely fine one minute then turn into a seething, crazy-woman the moment I see a friend with a smaller waist, larger house, or happier (looking) marriage? Reciting scripture and praying for the right attitude would slow the bleeding [...]
Thirsty Thursdays
There has been a situation in a close friend’s life that left me feeling so helpless. Since I’m a doer, I especially hate this. I’ve already run through all the ways I could help. But it hasn’t made a real difference. Yesterday morning while I was sitting on my back porch with my hot cup of coffee and spiced pumpkin bread (yummy), the Lord got me. It seems ridiculous really, I should’ve heard His leading before. But His message was simply to pray. To pray like I mean it. So right there I prayed hard for this person and the [...]
