Mercy Me! Bring on the Light!
It’s my annual rant time! That expletive isn’t about the Christian vocal group, Mercy Me! It’s about the ghosts, goblins, zombies, witches, and other Halloween paraphernalia that “haunts” us at retail stores and homes this time of year. Wait! Before you Halloween enthusiasts stop reading this blog, please know I’m not judging anyone who celebrates…
How Beautiful are the Hands and Feet of Caregivers
Yesterday, I attended the funeral of Aunt Iris Litke, my father-in-law’s sister. After 68 years of marriage, her husband, Uncle Hugo preceded her to heaven. Their son, Art, and wife, Sharon and their son, Michael, were her caregivers. I’ve admired their strength yet tenderness in the care of this precious woman who struggled with tremendous…
Do We Represent Well?
I saw this heart-wrenching photo and thought “Thank God! This soldier represents us well.” A foreign ambassador is one who represents her/his country. Their words, their diplomatic demeanor, and their actions are the “good impression” that is needed to ensure comradery and a commitment for peace and well-being between a foreign country and their home…
An Opportunity to Choose Great Joy
Choose joy? When challenges and disappointments come? How can we count all this stuff as joy? You young’uns may not remember the old Hee Haw Show where the cast members sang this “miserable” song that went like this: “Gloom, despair, and agony on me; Deep, dark depression, excessive misery; If it weren’t for bad luck,…
Let’s Be Kindness Junkies
A “junkie” is someone consumed by an addiction. What a difference it would make if we were all addicted to being kind — just can’t help ourselves. It’s who we are and what we do. A few days ago I told the story of our helping a lady whose keys were locked in her car…
The Keys to a Happy, Lifelong Marriage
It’s not often that I would post someone else’s words verbatim, but when I heard these (on audiobook), I knew I had to share them with those I love most. They opened my eyes to my own marriage, the struggles we had early on, the ups and downs we encountered and though our journey became…
When We’ve Run Out of Hope…..
This is my second day in a row to blog about hope. Maybe it has to do with some of the assignments God has given me in the last few months to encourage others to hold onto hope. So many are sick. Sick and tired. Sick of hearing so much negativity and hate. Sick of…
“They Opened Their Mouths With Wisdom!” Hey Girls! That’s You and Me!
Happy Mother’s Day to all Moms! That includes all women who have been gifted with the “maternal instinct” of nurturing and caring for others. One of the greatest joys in life is to be a mother to my own children and to those God put into my life “to mother”. There is something unique and…
My Fear Doesn’t Stand a Chance When I Stand in Your Love
Early this morning, I was hearing (in my head) Josh Baldwin’s song: “Stand in Your Love”. I thought about the lyrics when I read this friend’s post so I commented: “I know why I was thinking about this song this morning before I read your post. Sweet girl! You are such a valiant warrior and…
What is Your Sweet Spot?
“I would appreciate any positive prayers or scripture verses you could send my way.” Those were the words that I saw on a friend’s Facebook post yesterday. This sweet gal has had some very rough times, so I was quick to give her a couple of my favorite scriptures and a prayer, but when I…