ONE GREAT HOPE: Kari

But me? I will hope. Always. I will add to all your praise. My mouth will repeat your righteous acts and your saving deeds all day long. I don’t even know how many of those there are! I will dwell on your mighty acts, my Lord. Lord, I will help others remember nothing but your […]

Why “Pink Shoes”?

The summer before my daughter’s freshman year of high school included one rigorous shopping trip for clothes and school supplies. It was all fairly routine until we found ourselves in the shoe section of a favorite store… I saw these shoes, and I’ll admit to you there was only a hint of attraction when I […]

Joy

I struggle to be present.  Can you relate? The planner in me is ALWAYS working toward the next thing on the calendar, the next decision that has to be made. I continually play all the scenarios in my mind as life-in-the-moment is actually happening.  I don’t like this about myself, it just is.  But today, […]

Discipline is not a Four-Letter Word

I just signed up for a Diet Bet. I know, I know – “diet” actually is a four-letter word. I guess I’m in a place right now where I need a little bit of external motivation, and maybe some accountability, in order to keep myself on track. Quarantine life isn’t exactly conducive to stellar eating […]

Make Good Choices

There’s a sign hanging over the door that leads from my laundry room to the carport, reminding my family to “Make Good Choices” out there. You might think I’m the kind of Mom who raised her kids on these words, but frankly, you’d be wrong. That sign hangs there – always slightly askew, never mind […]

An Unlikely Mentor

At William “Bill” Alfier’s memorial service today, memories flowed freely and were peppered with laughter, salted with tears. Bill was a colorful guy for whom appearances meant nothing, but whose family and friends meant everything to him. He lived exactly as he pleased and gave permission for others to do the same, and whether or […]

To Be Continued

Each year on Reformation Sunday we are reminded by the apostle Paul that our salvation is a gift from God. Romans 3:24-25 say that we are made right with God when we believe that Jesus sacrificed his life for our salvation. If we connect the dots in these two verses, we can see that we are […]

Power Jam!

It’s not only the name of the dark ale I’m sipping as I sit at the local pub on this “National Drink a Beer Day,” waiting for my growler to be filled. As the emotional roller coaster of this past week screeches to a halt, “Power Jam” seems like an apt assessment of what God […]

Evacuation Revelation

You’ve probably played this game before – the icebreaker that poses the scenario: Your house is on fire, and you can take only five things with you. What do you choose? Designed to get at what you value most, this conversation-starter poses a theoretical question that can result in some pretty interesting insights about people […]

I Love You, Tomonnow

It was a talent show in my parents’ living room, and the actors had taken the “stage.” The a capella version of Annie’s signature song began as a duet, but it quickly became my daughter’s moment to shine – or so she thought. Britton wore the crescendo on her face as she sang, building toward […]