I gazed down, enraptured, at the picture book. The children were trying to bathe Mr. Muggs, but he wasn’t cooperating. Soapy water flew everywhere as he jumped out and began to shake. I loved this book. Many hours had passed perusing it with either my mom or one of my siblings. But this time was … Continue reading Eyes Wide Open
Christianity
Second-Hand Burden
Suffering is hard. Watching someone you love suffer is also. Are you carrying a second-hand burden? Are you trying your best to ease your loved one’s suffering and smooth out their path? Does it feel like you are caught in strong spiderwebs? You ache to relieve their pain, help them walk, sit or lie down … Continue reading Second-Hand Burden
Hi Dad -Part Three
Jesus didn’t come only to sacrifice himself, but to show us how to live a life that gradually leads to holiness, and that includes prayer. This is an excerpt from Paul Miller’s book, A Praying Life, which shows what Psalm 23 without the Lord or the Shepherd reads like: my; I shall not be in … Continue reading Hi Dad -Part Three
Hi Dad – Part Two
“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Matthew 6:6 NKJV Prayer is: relational intimate important But do you flounder with how to pray effectively, intentionally, … Continue reading Hi Dad – Part Two
Restored Reflections
Do you compare the lives of women around you to yours and wonder where you went wrong? Their homes belong on the cover of Home and Garden; they appear perfectly put together, energetic and organized, and the family seems happy, wholesome, and successful. They are like King Midas and everything they touch seems to … Continue reading Restored Reflections
Thief
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 NIV Does something feel stolen from you? You used to feel more confident, capable, and sure in your walk with the Lord, but now uncertainty, fear, and confusion block … Continue reading Thief
What Rules Your Heart?
A winged cherub is poised with a bow and arrow pointed at a heart. Your heart supposedly. A prevalent scene on many a Valentine's card. Elegant heart-shaped boxes of mouthwatering chocolates, fragrant long-stemmed red roses, and vibrant bouquets of flowers, all fly off the shelves. Romantic candle-lit dinners, specially planned dates and proposals of marriage … Continue reading What Rules Your Heart?
Running On Empty
Have you had one of those days or weeks where you are just done in by the end of it? Your feet are cement blocks, thinking like stirring porridge, words quick to fly and tears ready to fall. The urge to fly away somewhere quiet and secluded pulls strongly. I feel your pain, Sister. Busyness, … Continue reading Running On Empty
Custodial Living
The pungent, sweet smell of blood, mixed with sweat and dust permeated the air, The noisy crowd had dwindled, but Mary only heard the throb of her heartbeat as it reverberated in her ears, and thudded in her chest, alongside the sword of pain that had pierced it. Across her bent knees lay the pale, … Continue reading Custodial Living
Lick ‘o Paint, Lick ‘o Paint
Are there times you would love to be outside your head? I know I do! Imagine the sweet relief of quiet and rest there. Freedom from the noise of; comparing and measuring yourself up against other people in your life second-guessing decisions and wondering “What if?” fretting about what others think of or say about … Continue reading Lick ‘o Paint, Lick ‘o Paint