is a good place to be. That is where I am today. I am thankful. Not that yesterdays surgery was a terribly dangerous one but it was the 7th for this crazy heart. I have a faulty little gadget running this body. My heart, and its unpredictability, is a constant reminder to me of the tenuousness of my life. It is a good reminder. One that I need. It reminds me to really love those that I love. Every…
How about this? This is a really encouraging story. Last night I got one of those rare and precious gifts that become unimaginable as your children age. You know, when your kids are little you can count on at least one peanut butter and jelly kiss or hand crafted, crayon smudged love note a day, depending on how many kids you have. But when you hit those teen years, love notes are either not on their radar or otherwise directed!…
I know I know, you said goodbye weeks ago. Well, I didn’t. I put it off and I have a reason. My mom was born right before Christmas and I was born right after. When you have a Christmas birthday and the decorations go up it invokes double the excitement. This is my time of year, my only time, Christmas and birthday in one. My mom never let my birthday get lost in the holiday because hers was at Christmas,…
He knows the real meaning of Christmas. We all need a Linus – someone in the midst of our Charlie Brown frustration to calmly refocus our attention. There are two nuances I love about this clip. The first is that everyone is literally in the “dark” about the meaning for Christmas until Linus says “lights please” and standing in the light, sheds light on the true meaning by reciting the Word of God. The second is when Linus says “and…
The reality is I really don’t care. Yes, I do. Well not enough to really do anything to change it—for more than a week. It would be so interesting to walk in somebody else’s shoes for a while—somebody that actually puts their shoes away. I might learn an alternative lifestyle. I went to a friend’s house this morning. I go there every week to pray with five long time friends. Her house is always put together. Not just clean but…
Whether you are serving five or 25 guests, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner is a lot of work. In my case, it is usually closer to 25. So after the first few years I realized that I was never going to enjoy the dinner if I single-handedly served it. That’s when I came up with a plan to get all the guests involved with the process (it makes everyone feel at home and a part of the family), delegate jobs I…
I often feel like I’ve failed before I even open my eyes in the morning. It’s a tough way to start the day. Mentally, I go through the pressing “have-to-do-checklist.” My brain scrambles to eliminate things—whatever it can—in an effort to manage the panic. Unfortunately, that means I tend to put off the things that are most important (devotions and prayer, quality time with family, working out) for tomorrow, but tomorrow rarely comes. As one day bleeds into the next,…