Christmas tends to bring out the best and worst in people. If you’ve ever been to Wal-Mart on Black Friday, you have seen some of the worst — greed, selfishness, entitlement, rudeness. I could go on and on. We can become self-absorbed as we think about our “wants” for Christmas. On the flip side, we see the generosity of others as they give to those…
Thanksgiving…even though I am incredibly grateful for so much, this year the holidays are tainted with grief. I’m thankful for all the years I spent with my grandmother. She made an indelible impression on my life. I’m grateful for our Sunday phone calls, the daily prayers, and the times we spent together. There is a void in our family that is irreplaceable. The last couple…
Well, we survived 2020 — the social isolation, the boredom, the endless zoom meetings. Despite all that was lost this year, there are a few gains that I hope to carry with me into the future. I thrive on being busy — yes, I admit it. I have always had a difficult time slowing down and sitting still. This year I was forced to slow…
This year as I was reading the Christmas story in Luke 2, I was struck by the inclusion of Anna. Why is this prophetess mentioned here? She was a widow for 84 years and so we know she is aged. Since her husband’s death she has been faithful in worship, prayer, and fasting. God honored her faithfulness by allowing her to see the Messiah. As…
Recently I’ve seen a lot of posts on social media asking, “What’s your word for 2020?” I am praying that 2020 would be a year of DELIGHT in my life. When I think of delight I think of a groom’s expression as he sees his bride for the first time on their wedding day. I think of a parent’s excitement as his child takes her…
I haven’t written much this year because…well, I could give you a litany of excuses, but mainly because I have been emotionally spent. This year I said goodbye to my grandmother and to Michael’s mom (my first mother-in-law). In addition to those losses, my stepdad is battling a rare form of cirrhosis and his health has declined rapidly. We’ve had many ups and downs on…