And He Shall Be Called Prince of Peace
Happy 4th Sunday of Advent! Our journey is leading us to the birth of our Savior. We’ve embraced each Sunday’s symbolism in the Advent Christmas wreath’s candles. The first Sunday was hope, then faith, last Sunday’s was joy and today, we light the last purple candle to mark the final week of our journey. This…
Replacing Fear with Trust
Though I was a young, vulnerable mom, I still considered myself a strong woman of faith. But, it was still so difficult to see my baby girl and my baby boy suffer. I’ve heard it said that “It’s harder on the mom to watch her child suffer than the child suffering.” I don’t believe it…
It’s REJOICING Time! Let’s Go Tell It on the Mountain!
It’s the third Sunday of Advent and it’s time we should sing “Go Tell It on the Mountain”! Well — not necessarily from a mountain — that would mean we’d have to go climbing! Perhaps we can start right here on level ground to be joyful and full of the good news of Christ’s coming…
Letting Our Christmas Joy Be About the Joy-Giver
Here we are – smack dab in the middle of Christmas time – only 13 more days until the presents are all unwrapped, we’re eating our Christmas breakfast and some of us are singing “Happy Birthday, Jesus”! When I was a very young child, I was taught, like many children, that Christmas Eve was special…
The Joy of a Hope and Faith-Filled Child
Today is the second Sunday of Advent. Last Sunday the theme was HOPE, and today, the second lit candle on the Advent Wreath represents FAITH! And for a little personal emphasis, those hope and faith themes are so appropriate today because it’s my hope-filled and faith-filled daughter’s birthday! Oh how thrilled I was 50 years…
Permission Granted to Let a Few Things Slide
It’s no longer “beginning to look a lot like Christmas” because it is Christmas and it’s exploding in living color, bright lights, adored Christmas carols playing, Santas at Salvation Army kettles and stores, shoppers with carts loaded with treasures to be wrapped and placed under the exquisite trees I’ve seen displayed on FB and Instagram.…
No Man is an Island….or is He?
As we made our drive to church on Sunday, I asked my two young grandsons random questions. I asked Brennan, “If you were stuck on a deserted island, what three things or people would you want with you?” He quickly replied “My dad, Bryson (his younger brother) and a knife.” I loved that he wanted…
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…
Don’t Quit Mid-Stream — Go for the Big Picture
A dear friend’s FB post inspired me to write this blog. So many frustrations and disappointments held her captive to the present, the distorted, out-of-focus picture of today’s struggles. I get it. Sometimes it seems all hell has broken loose and we struggle to breathe in the midst of the heat — not thinking about…
Being Careful But Not Judgmental
I want to be very careful with my words today because I cringe with the thought that I could sound judgmental. I don’t get into politics much, though I am adamant in my position which I think is obvious for Who I follow — our Abundant Life Provider (John 10:10). Maybe I’m naiive because I…