Handling Disappointment The year 2020 started with such potential. New year. New possibilities. To say it has been a disappointment is an understatement! Many of us are battered and bruised by canceled plans, health issues, financial pressures, isolation, and...
Stories are told of children traumatized when they learn Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny are not real. But what about the lies we believe as adults? Some are obvious, some not so much. I recently read an article about a woman who watered a plant for two years before...
Why is quiet such a rare thing in our world? Consider that: when we get into our cars, one of the first things we do is turn on music.when we come home to an empty house, how often is the television turned on for “background noise”?if a group of people are silent for...
Three years ago this month, my husband receiveda diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Two years ago this month, the doctor told him his prognosis was terminal. For me, January will always be associated with these events. For better or for worse, our need to remember is...
Some say a weed is just a plant flourishing where you don’t want it to grow. The plant I gazed at certainly fit that description. Its tender green leaves and slim stem contrasted with the smoky-blue Florida sky as it grew in the gutter on my roof. Definitely a place I...
Hurricane Barry made landfall on the Louisiana coast in July as 2019’s first hurricane. As Barry approached, fears about the Category 1 hurricane focused primarily on water damage from storm surge, an already high Mississippi river, and torrential rain. And Hurricane...
It happens all too frequently. I sing praises to God on Sunday morning and wake early on Monday morning beset by worry. The cause might be my growing to-do list. Or circumstances outside my control. It could be due to loss and grief. Actually, the reason is less...
I’ve had some unexpected—and unwanted—visitors this past week. The first occurred when I let the dogs out one evening for their final outing. A tree frog took the opportunity to hop into the house. Let's just say he was not easy to catch. Of course, attempting to...
Were you offended today? We live in a society where taking offense is now the norm. And the catalog of culprits multiplies by the minute, with politics and religion topping the list. Sadly, it seems our culture is especially offended by the claims of Christianity,...
My kitchen counter is starting to resemble an electronic gadget shop. Every evening I plug all my devices into electric sockets. Cell phone.Laptop.Tablet.The dogs' training collars. Yes, training collars. My wild and crazy boxers are now wearing electronic training...
Bearing Each Other’s Burdens Without Enabling The season of giving has begun. Giving thanks. Giving gifts. And...
Are You Mastered or a Masterpiece? Did you know my bio is recorded in the Bible? Yup! Paul described me to a T...
How Desensitized Are You? As I write this, my phone is dinging. Breaking news: “At least 12 dead after massive...