English—“Do to others as you would have them do to you." Luke 6:31 NIV (The Holy Bible, New International Version 2011) Français—«Faites pour les autres ce que vous voulez qu’ils fassent pour vous.» Luc 6 :31 PDV (La Sainte Bible, Parole de Vie 2017) Español—«Hagan ustedes con los demás como quieren que los demás hagan con … Continue reading A North Star Worthy of Following
Have you ever started out on a road trip knowing the highway you were going to take, but not quite sure how many miles you were going to travel, or exactly what would become your final destination? This was the kind of journey the “Magi,” or Wise Men from the East” found themselves on as … Continue reading A Journey Full of Hope
I don't know if the number or the monetary value of your Christmas, Hanukkah, or other Winter Holiday presents is different this year than in years past. Perhaps your financial situation is insecure due to the ramifications of the spread of the Coronavirus. Maybe you are feeling down that you cannot provide those holiday gifts … Continue reading Family and Friends Are the Best Presents
A few years ago one of my daughters gave me a gorgeous ceramic piece which had been crafted by an artist friend. It was strictly decorative, not utilitarian; which is fine because art can serve the purpose of lifting our spirits, causing us to reflect perhaps introspectively, or encouraging our minds toward how we might … Continue reading Imperfect But Still Beautiful
English—“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1 NIV (The Holy Bible, New International Version 2011) Français—<<Dites merci au SEIGNEUR, car il est bon, et son amour est pour toujours!>> Psaume 107:1 PDV (La Sainte Bible, Parole de Vie 2017) Español—<<Den gracias al Señor, porque él es bueno, … Continue reading Give Thanks!
There are times when life can become overwhelming. The sense of not being able to shoulder alone what is being thrown at you is very real for all of us at one time or another. It may be the loss of a loved one. Or losing one’s job. Struggling with health issues. Betrayal of a … Continue reading Carrying Each Other’s Burdens
One of my climbing red rose bushes this year developed a really thick stem with huge prickly thorns for practically its entire length of about four feet. That started me to think about the thorns we are enduring in our daily lives which have been turned topsy-turvy in 2020 as we react to COVID-19, economic … Continue reading Enduring Thorns
From the outset of the coronavirus in the United States in early 2020, I was cautious about adhering to the Centers for Disease Control guidelines for Americans’ response to it. I felt the threat was real and was determined that I would do all I could to avoid being infected. Among all the other precautions … Continue reading Wearing a Mask IS a Big Deal!
As I was recently thumbing through several of my recipe books, one of which had belonged to my mother, I pulled out a single half-sheet of paper with her handwriting on it. I quickly realized that my then recently widowed mom was jotting down an agenda: notes of what she wanted to get done in … Continue reading What is Your Agenda?
Sometimes we just need good food to encourage our spirit as well as feed our body. Feeling a little down or merely a little blah? Check out today’s blog post to give your body and your spirit a food boost! And I’m not talking about reaching for a candy bar! My container garden, which sits … Continue reading Give Your Tastebuds This Tomato Treat! (Recipe for Kentucky Fried Green Tomatoes)
As I look back on the various seasons of my life, I see how I have worn different labels on this journey. Some labels seemed to have been automatically given to me and others I have chosen. I was first a “little girl” born into a loving, stable family consisting of my mom, my dad, … Continue reading Labels We Wear
One day you’re standing upright, holding your head up high. All around you is a clear sky with rays of sunshine warming your face and your heart. There are stressful elements in your life, to be sure. But they are manageable. You have a daily routine. And a very normal daily routine it is. Working. … Continue reading How to Keep Standing
If there’s one good which may come out of these terrible times of COVID-19, perhaps it is the lessons we have learned about appreciating more those parts of our lives which were snatched away from us. As workers and students, we probably complained at some point about the job we had to go to or … Continue reading Lessons Learned Through Loss
Have you ever witnessed a mom berating her child at the grocery store and wondered why major discipline couldn’t be kept at home? What about a parent so intent on his child’s athletic team’s winning that he takes to the field to challenge verbally or physically a coach or a referee? Road rage is something … Continue reading Grow Up! And Act Like An Adult!
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to smile more? Laugh more? Seem happier? I remember a first cousin of my mother named Allie who always seemed to have a giggle ready to overflow from the smile on her face. Whenever I was in her company, no matter the trite conversation that was going … Continue reading Happiness Is Contagious
Has the COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly plunged your home, your neighborhood, your world into a cold, dark, unfriendly place to be? Where’s a light to navigate your steps from one place to another? Psalm 119:105 says God’s Word provides that illumination which not only lets you see where your feet are right now but shines a … Continue reading An Encouraging Word in Any Language!
Rudeness, crudeness, and outright lies are what I hear daily in the words spoken within the arenas of government, politics, show biz venues and the public square. What does the Bible have to say about the speech of a child of God? In his letter to the Colossians, the members of the church that he … Continue reading Giving Grace and Salt to Our Words
Maybe in these times of our COVID-19 pandemic you are beginning to feel hopeless, or at the very least anxious, about the future. If so, let me ask you this question, “What work are you doing?” Naturally, I don’t know your circumstances. On furlough from your job? Laid off from your job? Unable to work? … Continue reading Work Brings Hope
I want to share with you something a friend of mine said recently to me, “The virus is global, but God is universal.” Maybe she was quoting someone. I don’t know. But her words did make me pause to reflect on my belief in a Higher Being and how this belief affects my response to … Continue reading Finding Personal Equilibrium in a Chaotic World
Some of you reading my words love the thrill of a roller coaster ride. The speed, the sharp turns, the precipitous dip! But that has never been an adventure I craved. In fact, I have only been on one roller coaster in my entire life, when my husband somehow tricked me into taking leave of … Continue reading Stop the World! I Wanna Get Off!
Here is a letter to my school-age grandchildren which I would like to share with you: May 2020 Dear Grandgirls and Grandguys, Congratulations to you 2020 Graduates and your Families! To my Eighth Grade Grad, you really are a 2020 graduate as you have finished the rigorous requirements for the courses in your grade and … Continue reading Congratulations to 2020 Graduates!
What is your view of God? For some God is an angry spirit who must be appeased through ritualistic prayer, worship, and sacrifice. But there is never peace within the heart because one is never sure if she or he has done enough. For others God is the one to pray to only when there … Continue reading The God of Hope
One day you’re standing upright, holding your head up high. All around you is a clear sky with rays of sunshine warming your face and your heart. There are stressful elements in your life, to be sure. But they are manageable. You have a daily routine. And a very normal daily routine it is. Working. … Continue reading How to Keep Standing
Let's look at the following phrases: If my people . . . Si mon peuple . . . Si mi pueblo . . . Wenn dann dieses Volk . . . They represent various translations of words spoken to King Solomon, son of David, at a time when he was ruling over the United Kingdom … Continue reading If my people…
When my younger daughter was growing up, for a period of time, she had hanging from the doorknob to her bedroom a sign which said: KEEP OUT! BUT KEEP ON LOVIN’! My mother, in particular, thought this was quite amusing. During these times when so many are isolating themselves in an attempt to slow the … Continue reading Keep Out! But Keep on Lovin’!
It always amazes me how quickly people give up on God, seemingly much more quickly than they give up on anything else. Your car won’t start, and you’re frustrated. But do you throw up your hands and say, “I’m never getting in a car again—it’s too unreliable!" You discover a frozen water pipe. Do you … Continue reading Holding On to Faith
As the Coronavirus has become pandemic, spreading over our world, I’m going to depart from my Snippet Series on money to share with you what I hope will be words of encouragement when the routines of our daily lives are being turned upside down. I see three essentials to surviving chaos. And those essentials are … Continue reading Three Essentials to Surviving Chaos
