A forbidden pleasure as a child was playing in the creek. The forbidden part—my mom was afraid for us to be around the creek because she was afraid of water. Her rule of thumb was simple: stay away from the creek—period. She knew that creeks could be soothing and calm, but they could also become … Continue reading Watch the Raging Waters
Tag: circumstances
Don’t Stand in the Dark
On the dark side of the kitchen, I opened an upper cabinet door. Rummaging around, I must have caused something to shift from the very top shelf. A fairly sizable container came crashing down and cracked me on the brow bone—just missing my eye! Oh, did I fail to mention that the “dark side of … Continue reading Don’t Stand in the Dark →
Keep Looking for the Prodigal
I visited my cousin’s church this past Sunday. I knew it was a satellite campus, so when it was time for the sermon, I was pleased to see the pastor walk up to the podium. I enjoyed the message and his perspective on the prodigal son from Luke 15:11–32. He shared how, when the younger … Continue reading Keep Looking for the Prodigal →
Sometimes Truth Comes From the Sweetest Hearts
Easter is fast approaching. It can be a heartfelt time of remembrance, even for children. My first real Easter memories as a child most likely involved frilly dresses, Easter baskets, or candy — not anxious thoughts about how Jesus was treated during His final week on this earth. A few years ago, a pastor friend … Continue reading Sometimes Truth Comes From the Sweetest Hearts →
See Where We Should Depend on God
I wasn’t anxious yesterday. But I could feel anxiety sitting around me. I had a visit with my retina specialist. It would have been the day before, but he was in surgery all day. Because it was a work-in visit, I waited over two hours. It is interesting to sit in a waiting room and … Continue reading See Where We Should Depend on God →
Sometimes Those Visible Layers Need a Good Scrub
My return trip from visiting my niece ended up being a longer day than I thought it would. The plan was to get through the flight, grab lunch, go home, get the travel crud washed off in the shower, and relax the rest of the day. As it ended up, I hit two airports, one … Continue reading Sometimes Those Visible Layers Need a Good Scrub →
Seeking the Visible Benefits of Sacrifice
Today is the first day of Lent. I will be focusing the next forty days on my journey toward Easter. I don’t celebrate Lent as part of any organized religious group as many do. I like the idea of taking the forty days preceding Easter to focus on the sacrifice that Christ gave for me. … Continue reading Seeking the Visible Benefits of Sacrifice →
No Need to Look Underneath
The sixty-five-year-old oak table was distressed in a way that depicted use—depicted life. One leg lurched from a long-ago break, steadied now by a flat stone tucked beneath it. Burn marks, water rings, scratches, scars, and discoloration covered its surface. And yet, beneath the browns, grays, and charcoal shadows of use and misuse, a hint … Continue reading No Need to Look Underneath →
The View of Our Heavenly Home
What does home look like to you? Are you from a large family or small family? Do you have tons of aunts and uncles and cousins, or just a few family members scattered here and there? Is your family close emotionally, in proximity? Do you spend time together? Do you stay in touch? What is … Continue reading The View of Our Heavenly Home →
From the Light of Day to the Dark of Night
What does your day and night look like? Can you tell them apart? Since I’ve been trying to get my schedule realigned from the past couple of years of just winging it, sometimes it is hard for me to see where the day ends and the night begins. To say my sleep schedule is out … Continue reading From the Light of Day to the Dark of Night →









