Do you like to share your dessert?
It can be a nice way to have a tasty treat by sharing a small amount.
But what happens when the group partaking becomes selfish… and the spoon almost seems a weapon?
Free to Be All In!
The demands and distractions of life can quickly dull our spirit. Just by missing a few Sundays of fellowship and worship, too much focus on daily demands and the ordinary pressures of life can lead us quickly down the path to mediocrity.
The Healing Grace of Gratitude
The Apostle Paul’s closing prayer to his friends reminds me of a time I experienced God’s pure grace and nothing but grace.
It was when I was excited about having lots of summertime fun for two-weeks with my grandchildren in their city! But just when I had adjusted to the hustle and bustle of their busy days, I got sick.
I Am Equipped
Eugene Peterson’s expression of Psalm 13 in The Message is dramatic, and I often rely on it for encouragement and personal renewal. When I am discouraged, the words instruct me to keep on wrestling in an all-familiar battle initiated by the enemy of this world.
Aligned
The level is one of the favorite tools in my toolbox. It corrects my natural judgment when I think artwork is straight on the wall. Just when I am certain of my decision of placement, the level often proves me wrong.
The Art of Losing
It was a day of “Studio Renewal” as four ladies came to my art studio for the afternoon. One lady drew a meticulously rendered sunflower with colored pencils, while sisters painted nature scenes with watercolors.
Dirty Lamps
Several months ago, a broken sprinkler head under high pressure sent muddy water spraying across the front of our home. The deep front porch took the brunt of the filth, with windows, shudders and our pretty red door dirtied.
Oh Mercy
I sat in Bible study one evening, during a time in my life I was struggling with obedience to the Lord in a particular area. Experiencing the cycle of sin, regret, asking forgiveness, and then continuing to regret over and over made me weary.
Beauty in Barren Places
Last month, while jeeping on an alpine trail at 12,500 feet altitude, I was astounded at the bounty of glorious flowers. There were natural-formed bouquets of golden sunflowers, delicate lavender blooms scattered among them, and an array of pink and white blossoms peeking around the rocks.
Take My Hand, Dear One
Our journey through this life has many perilous intersections, dangerous drivers, split second decisions, and blind curves. Our Heavenly Father offers His hand of safety in the form of His Laws, like the Ten Commandments and His warnings throughout the New Testament.
Be an Encourager
I’m painting woodwork in my house—a wretched job that requires hours of labor. My daughter, Ashley, came for several days to help. As we worked, she would occasionally say, “This is fun!” As for me, what began with excitement a few weeks ago has turned into a prayer—Lord, just help me finish!
How Well Do You Multitask?
We used to think we could get more done by multitasking, but the latest research shows this to be false. According to numerous studies, multitasking causes more errors than focusing on a single task.
Problem Solver
A popular affirmation parents use with their children these days goes like this, “Way to be a problem solver. Great job solving that problem yourself.” While one cannot debate the value of problem solving and thinking for oneself, God asked the Israelites to do just the opposite – let him solve their problem.
God will Provide
The trio is back…the mother, the father and their fledgling Cardinals. They regularly visit the platform bird feeder. I like to study their interactions.
GUARDED
Do you sometimes feel alone in your Christian faith while the world around you takes great pleasure in criticizing your beliefs? It is challenging to stand firm during these days of turmoil in our world…
Running a Good Race: not in vain
Is cross-country skiing on your bucket list by chance? Then the perfect place for you is in Stowe Vermont at the Trapp Family Lodge—yes, the Sound of Music von Trapps settled in Stowe in 1942, having fled Austria in 1938.
On That Day
The book of Haggai winds down dramatically with promise after promise from God, first of supernatural intervention: “I will shake…I will overturn…(I will) shatter…I will overthrow” (2:21-22). But when, wonders Zerubbabel—when?
Grace and Glory
Certainly, the glory of Zerubbabel’s temple did not compare to that of Solomon’s. But it wasn’t really the ornate gold and silver that gave that first temple the glory, was it ladies?
Be Strong. Press On.
So the people climbed the hill and got the wood (1:8), and the work on the house of the LORD began in earnest. A month into the rebuild, Haggai spoke again: “‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem like nothing?’” (2:3).
Climb the Hill and Get the Wood!
And so, as King Cyrus decreed: everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:5). Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the building began with the altar so the morning and evening sacrifices could be offered and the sacred feasts celebrated. Next the foundation of the temple was completed with much fanfare. But then the enemy intervened, frustrating the work and eventually bringing it to a standstill (Ezra 3-4) for fifteen plus years.