Are you tired of all the clichés yet? New year. New start. Blank slate. Except that it isn’t a blank slate anymore, is it? Your days have begun to fill up. The holidays are a given. New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s...
Here in Florida, the weather is usually balmy by northern standards - even though many Floridians are now dressed in pants and jackets due to the latest change in our weather. While our northern neighbors may be shoveling snow and scraping ice, we complain about cold...
Is Jesus the Son of God? Some say that such a thing is a “New Testament” idea. Yet 700 years before the birth of Jesus, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah made it clear this baby was more than an ordinary child... For the past four weeks, I’ve been looking at the four...
Four weeks of Advent – four names of the Christ-child from the prophet Isaiah. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”...
Father. A title that evokes joy or sadness, blame or gratitude, depending on your personal experience. One thing it does not evoke is indifference. Four weeks of Advent – four names of the Christ-child from the prophet Isaiah. And the third name is Everlasting Father....
Soft, adorable bundles of joy. Who doesn’t love sweet little babies? Vulnerable, helpless, and defenseless. They bring out the best in us, don’t they? Our instinct is to cuddle and protect them. To keep them safe and give them everything they need to stay healthy and...
Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year. Since most of my friends know this, they either feed my passion or tease me about it. Either way, I relish the four weeks of Advent as a time of joyful expectation as I count down the days until we celebrate the Savior’s...
Someone once said that the worst moment for an atheist is when he is really thankful and has no one to thank. I don’t know if that’s true, since I’m not an atheist, but... I do know that I do have Someone to thank. Someone who is the source of every blessing,...
There’s something heart-warming about giving or receiving a Thank You. When someone tells us thank you, we feel acknowledged, affirmed, and appreciated. We’re encouraged to go the extra mile, to keep on truckin’, and to persevere through inconveniences. When we tell...
It’s only November 2nd, but I’ve been playing Christmas carols for a few weeks. And I’m looking forward to the start of the Hallmark channel Christmas movie weekend marathon that will begin this Friday. Yup, I’m one of those people. 😳 Hi, my name is Ava and I’m a...
Courage and Wait: Out With the Old and In With a New “One Word” for 2022 I gave up new year’s resolutions a...
Best Advice Ever A friend recently gave me a Christmas gift with one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever...
Thankful Despite? It’s a tough world out there . . . and getting tougher every day. Christians beheaded in...