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Redeeming the time
I often think of things I wish I had done with my mom. (Trying not to cry as I write.) We had lots of plans – to do together. There wasn’t a plan for her not to be here. In 2019, we were on a movie jag. My 79-year-old mother hadn’t been to the movies…
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Seeing God in the holidays
We are about to enter the most wonderful time of the year. The combination of Thanksgiving and Christmas will have our hearts stirring and racing as we cook, shop, and celebrate. Before life gets completely out of control, let’s take a quick look at the main characters of the holidays to see what makes them…
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Quick to trust, slow to bark
Apparently, our dog Dixie is afraid of the vacuum cleaner. I ran it before church Sunday morning. Because she was scared, she had a conniption, barking loudly and lunging at it as it moved. Since she rarely barks, the sudden outburst was unexpected. I kept saying, “It’s OK. It’s OK,” but she refused to believe me.…
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People are watching
Michael Myers really frightened me on Halloween night. If you aren’t a scary movie fan, Michael Myers was a terrible, awful character from the 1978 horror movie Halloween. He is not real. I know he is not real. But his mask and dark blue coveralls give me chills. Still. At our church’s Trunk or Treat,…
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Learning from Dixie
God speaks. In the Bible, He spoke through angels, prophets, leaders, dreams, a burning bush, and even a donkey. In Jeremiah 33:3, God spoke these wonderful words: “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and mighty things you do not know.” When we ask Him to speak to us, He…
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The good and bad of pretending
We’re gearing up for Trunk or Treat. This year, I will be a dog. Our team’s theme is D.O.G. – Depend on God. Last year, I was Shadrach – one of the Hebrew boys in the fire. The back of my car was filled with fake flames made from bulletin board paper. A real fire…
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Telling the Story: Using your gifts and talents
I was the worst piano student EVER. I was lazy, never wanting to practice, and to make it worse…I lied. Every week I told my piano teacher it had sounded better at home. It hadn’t. On the other hand, my sister thrived. We had the same lessons each week. She played wonderfully while my notes…
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Telling the Story: On the struggle bus
The struggle was real on Sunday morning. It was my turn to teach at the jail. We have been going to a prison or jail every week since 2006. It was not a new place or crowd. Teaching is one of my favorite things! Yet butterflies skittered in my stomach. I had read the Bible…
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Telling the Story: Can’t be trusted
We can’t trust Dixie out of our sight. (Dixie is the eight-month-old puppy my beloved rescued a month ago.) The first week she was with us, Dixie got out of her crate twice while we were gone and set off the security alarm. In call No. 1, the dispatcher informed my beloved that an officer…
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Telling the Story: The Passover
The words lamb, hyssop, blood, and outstretched arm have been spinning through my mind. Digging into the first Passover, puzzle pieces are falling into place as the people of Israel prepare to be freed from their slavery. God perfectly stitches the Scriptures of the Old Testament together with the New Testament into a beautiful tapestry.…
