“What is that smell?” my husband asked as we entered the resort where we were vacationing. “Whatever it is, I want it!” he exclaimed.
All in Encouragement
Walking with Believers
Man was not created to walk alone. God created each of us to walk with Him. He also designed us to walk with others. In Genesis 1 God declared all He created to be good. But then God identified something as not good. God said, It is not good for the man to be alone… (Genesis 2:18).
What Are You Saying to Yourself?
Recent studies suggest that the most influential person in our lives is ourselves. We can talk ourselves into things and we can talk ourselves out of things.
Laugh It Up
Oh, my goodness, what joy we get when our two-year-old grandson laughs. It sounds like music to our ears. As he ages, he notices so much more about his little world that makes him laugh – including our mistakes.
Step It Up
Our detached garage has a step up from the garage floor and a step down into the patio. I get a kick out of our two-year old grandson when he tries to maneuver those steps. As he attempts to do them, he looks up at me and says, “BIG step, Tida.”
No Shortcuts
So I have a teenage daughter. I am learning new things by the minute. She is filling my life with laughter and terror all at the same time! It's a roller coaster, and I love it. This week I'm going to catch you up to speed with communication in the style of a teenager.
Wait . . . What?
My daughter cracks me up with all the things she says. One of those phrases is, wait . . . what? This is what she says every time she misses something or wants something repeated.
Bean Soup: Day 5
That our culture—like Esau—is one of instant gratification, is hardly news. The soaring statistics in both credit card debt and divorce have been proof of this fact for many years. The following chart is a stunning summary of what has happened to American/Western culture in the last century and a half:
Modernism: the late 19th/early 20th century. Personal experience questions truth.
Post-modernism: mid-late 20th century. Personal experience defines/chooses truth.
Pseudo-modernism: 1990’s—today. Personal experience creates truth.
“Who Knows?”
I was 23 when tragedy struck our family. My mom lost a courageous battle with cancer. I found myself despondent and somewhat lost. I learned a valuable life lesson from God’s Word that can be summed up in 2 words: Who Knows?
Help, I'm Falling!
“Mrs.___, have you fallen lately?” Young people have yet to encounter that question. My husband and I have. We laugh when we share the experience because as a couple we average about three or four falls a year. We fall off ladders, in flower beds, down stairs, and sometimes for no reason. Welcome to the world of seniors.
Help, I'm a Mess!
“I can’t find anything after I put it away. I know I need to organize, but I just don’t know where to start. I want to invite friends over, but my house is such a mess. I want less clutter, but I just can’t figure out how to get started.” Sound familiar?
Help, I'm Drowning!
“Lucas, get your soccer shoes from the utility room. Katie, the half-time snack is in the refrigerator. Sean, come here so Mom can button your jacket.”
Whole Heartedly
Have you ever found yourself putting off a challenging task until the last minute or indefinitely? I know I have.
Pray the Word
When you don’t know what to pray… because there are no words… what do you do?
I have learned…
Use God’s message to help you. That will be like a sword that God’s Spirit puts in your hand (Ephesians 6:17b Easy).
A Song of Love
I could recognize the melody but not the words. It was my son singing his seven-year-old daughter to sleep.
The Impact of One Woman
I am a life that was changed by one woman stepping into the life of one woman.
Freeze Warning
After the unexpected bad weather we experienced a couple of years ago in South Texas, people took the anticipated freeze warning seriously. The forecasted eighteen degrees definitely fell below any normal winter temperature in the South.
Not on Our Own
We are all on a journey. Interestingly enough each one travels his or her own unique path, but there are commonalities that tend to draw us together.
Seasons: Day 4
During a recent lunch conversation, a friend and I got on the topic of “significant” birthdays. The particular number under discussion was one looming on her horizon, but solidly in my rearview mirror, making me the expert on the subject.
Seasons: Day 3
If you ask young children to name the seasons, some might answer, “Christmas, Easter, July 4th and Halloween.” Following that train of thought, the sign of each new season would be the bursting forth of appropriate merchandise on the shelves of local retailers. Ah, sad, but true…