2015 was the first year I chose to adopt One Word for the year. I wrote about selecting my word—release—in a blog post last January with an update in August. Release was not a word I chose eagerly. As a Type A personality, releasing anything does not come naturally....
Thankful for Nothing
Have you ever been thankful for nothing? For what you don’t have? For the times God said no to your request? Lately, I’ve been thinking about how thankful I am for…nothing. Yes, you read that correctly. For what I don’t have. It’s a feeling that’s been building for...
Lazy Thinking
Now that the new school year has begun, my thoughts have turned to arithmetic. Quick! Answer the following: 7 x 8 = 144 divided by 12 = 9,000,000 – 7,999,997 = Did you need a calculator? I was recently in a small grocery store trying to pay cash for a purchase. I...
Connect or Disconnect?
Come out and be separate. No. Go out and be salty. Connect or disconnect? Which is it? As our culture distances itself from its Judeo-Christian roots, Christians are finding themselves more and more isolated by their values from the mainstream. Christian holidays are...
The Plague of Perfectionism
A few years ago, a popular television program called Monk featured a lead character consumed with perfectionism. He couldn’t prevent the murder of his wife, so he spent the rest of his life trying to control everything else. For a while, my nickname became “Mrs....
Lay Down Your Burdens
Have you noticed how some things are becoming smaller and lighter these days? The first computer took up an entire building. Now you can hold a mini iPad in the palm of your hand. The first mobile phone looked and felt like a brick with an antenna. Now cell phones can...
Royal Inheritance
It’s a letter we’d all like to receive. The envelope bears the return address of an unfamiliar law firm. With shaky hands, we tear open the envelope. Is it a lawsuit? A collection notice? No. It’s notification of a bequest from the estate of a long-lost relative. You...
The Power of Story
I love a good story, don’t you? Skilled storytellers have beguiled audiences with mesmerizing tales since the dawn of time. I have vivid memories of waiting breathlessly for stories that began with the words, “Once upon a time.…” I’m still transported by the power of...
Separate or Salty?
Come out and be separate. No. Go out and be salty. Which is it? Are we to be separate or salty? As our culture distances itself from its Judeo-Christian roots, Christians are finding themselves increasingly isolated from mainstream values. Christian holidays are being...
I Don’t Like My “One Word”
I don’t like my “one word” for 2015, but I’m keeping it anyway. Let me explain… I have many friends who have been selecting one word to focus on for each new year as a substitute for new year’s resolutions. I've thought about doing it, but was never really motivated...
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