I remember tales of long ago: a pastor wounded my red-lipstick-wearing-aunt with words indicating he more or less equated red lipstick with the devil. Wearing red lipstick meant you followed the devil. And thus, you must be treated as though you were the devil. Doesn’t make for a let’s-all-praise-Jesus-together atmosphere, you know? I’m grateful this doesn’t seem to be the…
I still remember an interesting act from an elementary school talent show between two characters, “dear Henry” and “dear Liza.” If you know the children’s song, you already know Henry tells his dear Liza, “There’s a hole in my bucket.” And dear Liza answers quite practically, “Then mend it, dear Henry!” And he asks her, “With what shall I mend…
For anyone who’s ever defaulted to a straitjacket of fear – reading about Jesus telling his followers they will have trouble can be enough to drive us to hide quivering behind locked doors. John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I…
It wasn’t happening. But not because I wasn’t trying. And I felt pressure because I’d given my word that it would happen. I saw great need. I wanted to do my part. But I may as well have been in a hamster wheel. Ever been there? Besides remembering God’s past faithfulness, sometimes we just need a complete reset. We need…
I have a confession: I am female, and I don’t multitask well. I admire those who do. I admire my friends that aren’t frazzled by the simultaneous chaos of kids’ activities, laundry piles, meal prep, meaningful discussions with company, and who may also work outside the home. I have high respect for teachers, amid constant noise and motion, who juggle…
I’d done what I was supposed to and it still wasn’t coming together. I knew God heard my prayers; I didn’t doubt that. So why was it so hard this week? I had thought that things get easier the more you practice them, not harder. So, I was surprised, after a decade of experience, at the unusual degree of difficulty…
I rummaged in the linen closet for a washcloth. Eye sleepies, dried drool, residual toothpaste…my five-year-old daughter was adorable, just needed a little unmasking. As I wiped her face, my daughter kept trying to peer into the mirror, delaying progress. She seemed to be admiring herself. After a few times, I said patiently, “Look at me, not the mirror. The…
In spite of my black thumb, we tended a tiny vegetable garden last year. It wasn’t the stuff of Better Homes and Gardens, but consuming homegrown produce was gratifying. And it was a significant improvement over the weeds. I like to weed; I like to see instant change. But my enthusiasm screeches to a halt when it comes to weeds…
Blood and guts aren’t my thing. I hate scary movies, and I don’t go into haunted houses. I don’t like most science fiction. But the following is a true story. Back in the pre-kids days, I worked in an office. My boss grew up in the country and joked that Chicago city folk vacationing in our region only saw real…
I enjoy weeding. Our yard may not always reflect this, but there is something rewarding about observing change the instant I affect it. I’ve noticed something that disturbs me though. Since I don’t have a clue what I’m doing when it comes to planting, I revert to weeding. This wouldn’t be a problem except the yard we had at the…
