We call something that happens at an appointed time an appointment. We put it on our calendar and we plan our lives around it. Sometimes our calendars get so filled up with our appointed times we have little room for things that are not appointed. Our culture is okay with this because we all live … Continue reading Dis-appointment
Inspiration
Batten Down the Hatches
Prepare for a storm. Get ready. Equip yourself for trouble. The old 18th century nautical phrase, batten down the hatches, was coined when sailors, literally nailed battens (wooden rods) over tarps to prevent water from flooding into the hatch of a ship during a storm. It was a preventative measure to keep the ship from … Continue reading Batten Down the Hatches
Follow Me
I went to a party this weekend. It was a gathering of family I hadn’t met yet. Have you ever had those kinds of encounters, where you meet people and you know you belong together? It just feels as if you were cut from the same cloth. It happened like that at a celebration of … Continue reading Follow Me
Compounded Grace
My last blog was about compounded grief, this one is about...compounded grace. Grace resting upon grace. Layering one grace-act upon the other until there is a foundation of solid rock. Compounded grace is beyond feelings. Beyond belief. It is there whether I believe in it or not. This grace counters the grief upon grief … Continue reading Compounded Grace
Dear 2019
Dear 2019, You are the last year of a decade, which means you are special. I am even more reflective because of your “end of the decade” status. You certainly had some twists and turns. Some ups and downs. You were like a flurry of hope at the beginning. Aren’t all new years? My list … Continue reading Dear 2019
Meek and Mild
Meek and mild. A baby. A manger. Silent night, holy night. Quiet. Calm. Gentle. Words we think of this time of year. A far cry from the God who rolls away stones, but do not mistake meekness for weakness. No, meekness is the secret weapon of God. It is the least expected way of doing … Continue reading Meek and Mild
Warm and Fuzzy Christmas
I have always loved Christmas. For me, as a child, it was a magical time. Lights, presents, caroling, friends, shows, music, family… all of it, just made me feel warm and fuzzy. As I grew up, I continued to love the warm and fuzzy parts of the season and tried to pass them along to … Continue reading Warm and Fuzzy Christmas
To the Musicians…
Recently, I gave a compliment to some musicians after an entertaining holiday performance. The response I got back was “Thanks for letting us know the effort means something.” It inspired me to write this blog because I think sometimes we forget to tell them how much we love what they do. I once heard that … Continue reading To the Musicians…
Dear Friends and Family
I have been doing dementia research this week; not really, but it seems that way. There have been two excellent dementia awareness events near me that I attended with my family. If you know my dad at all, you know he is a bulldog. It is why he was such a successful business man. He … Continue reading Dear Friends and Family
The One
In Ethiopia, our host Glenda, did a devotional time each morning before we went out. She has amazing insight into scripture and her time with us was always in preparation for what we would be doing. One day, when we were going out into the village to visit widows and orphans, she talked about how … Continue reading The One