Karen Kingsbury’s latest novel, Truly, Madly, Deeply reminded me of a truth that I sometimes forget: none of us knows the number of our days, yet we try to control parts of our lives we cannot. We have never been in control. Our choices send us in certain directions, but, if we are honest, we…
Parents, grandparents, and teachers who show favoritism create a lot of hurt feelings. Favoritism shows up in words and actions. Aware of favoritism, I work to avoid it at all costs. Favoritism harms relationships While reading James L. Rubart’s novel, The Pages of Her Life, the pain caused by favoritism reflected loud and clear as…
Embracing our real selves. Being comfortable in our own skins. Knowing our worth as a person. The Pages of Her Life by James L. Rubart reflects these messages. To really live, we need to embrace our real selves. On the back cover in a large font, this question stands out: How Do You Stand Up…
I loved the romantic, Christmas, YA, fantasy, Tinsel in a Tangle by Laurie Germaine. Why talk about a Christmas novel now? Well, while the story is set in Santa’s village with Christmas coming fast, the overall story is about elves who are jealous of a tall elf, Tinsel. If you’ve ever been ostracized, then you’ll…
No one can argue that an eye patch brings unwanted attention, but an incident involving a patch reminds me of the power of words. Pushing my grocery cart with my five-year-old son, Isaac, sitting in the front, and my two older sons following behind, I perused the shelves looking for some obscure item. Isaac wore…
With snow covered roads, life changes direction in a hurry. My husband and I found ourselves sitting behind a police cruiser with its red and blue pulsating lights one Sunday evening in January after his mom lost control going around a curve and plunged deep into a snow-filled ditch, grazing a fence. The evening’s tallies…
Last year, I decided to write letters to people who impacted me in some way to say thanks and to share what their influence meant to me. The idea germinated after I read a blog about what someone was doing for Lent. Rather than fasting food or television, the person embarked on a letter writing…
Exercising in the winter offers its challenges. After a recent spill, I want to share alternatives for winter exercising, in particular, one that encourages you emotionally, as well as physically. Winter spills lurk Snow carpeted the sidewalk along the path I intended, but when my boot crunched into the short pile of fluffy stuff, out…
My tire blow out story illustrates God’s faithfulness. I’ve been struggling with feeling seen and loved. I read my Bible, study the wisdom within its pages, pray, sometimes sing, sometimes weep. God sees me. He loves me. This I know. He sees you and loves you, too. Still, I can’t explain it. I need confirmation…
If we quit rushing about and open our eyes, we see multiple reminders that God provides. Daily, He sends these messages and images as witnesses of His love and care. Examples of witnesses What witnesses, you ask? Consider these: The glorious scenery that speaks volumes of His creativity. The vast array of stars in a…