When we moved to Dallas, Texas, six years ago after living in Houston, Texas, for twenty-five years, my husband and I had the opportunity to visit many churches, and we have entered a variety of different sanctuaries all over the city and surrounding area. One of those church visits was a couple weeks before Christmas and it moved me deeply as I viewed a perfect demonstration of love and hope. It was the video of an annual Christmas ministry that had just taken place the weekend before. The video began with showing the line -- the extremely long, long line of hundreds of people coming down ... Read the Post
Archives for November 2014
Throwing Around Thankfulness
“Throw it to me!” Cole’s hands reached eagerly for the football his brother held. Cole and Chase tossed the football back and forth for nearly an hour that cool fall evening. They had been asking for a football for weeks because our old football had met its end under the scorching rays of last summer’s sun. I kept forgetting to get one; by the time I finally picked the green and purple football up at Walmart, our boys were overcome by gratefulness. “Thanks, mom!” “This is awesome! Thanks, Mom! Let’s throw it around the trampoline.” Later the same evening, before we prayed and ... Read the Post
He has Dealt Bountifully With Me
I would cry out, “How long, O Lord? How long,” as I would leave the nursing home where my mother spent the last five years of her life. Due to a terrible fall and surgery, Mama would never be able to fully walk again. Previously, her mind had slipped into a roller coaster of dementia-ridden fear, repetition, accusation, jealousy, confusion, and hallucinations. Diabetes turned to Type 1 at age 85, making her insulin-dependent until the day she died at age 98. Then in her last year of life, she got an extremely painful, odd cancer. I loved my Mama dearly and she loved her family. I loved to ... Read the Post
Keep Your Eyes on Me
It was field trip day! My third grader, Chase, and his classmates filed onto the school bus, chatting and talking, thrilled to be out of the confines of the classroom. Chase and his friend Joshua climbed aboard the bus and headed to the back while the rest of the class sat elsewhere. I was driving separately in my SUV with the cooler full of sack lunches and drinks for the students and chaperones. Our destination was the Florida State Fairgrounds for Ag-Venture, where we would learn firsthand about Florida Agriculture (and taste yummy food). Eight-year old Chase knew beforehand I was ... Read the Post
Answers Aren’t Everything: Peace Is
I cannot begin to remember and count all the different times I have wanted to know how God is working in and through a particular situation and when I will have answers. Too numerous to count are the times answers did not come on my timetable, but as I have walked longer with the Lord, I have learned more about the process of waiting. Learning about waiting is not an easy or pleasant experience. Instead, it tends to grow into aggravation and frustration and ultimately reveals the impatience in our hearts. Waiting is waiting, and waiting is hard. Yet, it can be an invaluable teaching and ... Read the Post