When our boys were young, we would take them yearly, or almost annually, to Sears Photography Studio at our local mall for the ever-fun family picture night. We laugh when we look back at many of those pictures. Memories surface of what was happening right before the photo experience. I can still hear my husband Steve giving the boys instructions to “smile and not ruin this for their mother.”

Rhythm at times is something that can be the most challenging thing to cultivate, protect and keep consistent in our lives when it comes to living healthy spiritually, emotionally, and physically. This is an aspect in my life that I am currently assessing and processing: what healthy rhythm looks like in my own personal life.

I love Jesus.  I know He loves me.  Yet, after decades of loving Him, I am still trying to wrap my head around the idea that He loved me first. 

When I met Kurt, my husband, for the first time.  I didn’t love him.  Our first exchange was just a handshake and a smile.

Sometimes, there are no words.

There are times when things just don’t make sense - life doesn’t make sense.

I’ll leave it at that – you know how it is.

Recently I opened my freezer to take something out to eat, only to find the expiration date was past. Taking a closer look inside the freezer, I realized that more items had expired. Have you done that?

As a little girl in my pre-teen and teenage years I struggled with fear, worry and anxious thoughts. At that time in my life, my family and I lived in Kingston, Jamaica as missionaries

Let’s cut to the chase.

This is a huge week. Tomorrow’s events will forever be stamped in the pages of American history books. Our country is divided. Troops are deployed. Plans are in place. Theories are swirling. But Jesus is still on the throne.

Maybe you have been feeling it too. You know, the weight of the world on your shoulders, or perhaps the deep ache and hollow depths of loss. Or maybe, it is the clear division and disunity we see in all of this unrest we face these days,

“Beginning a new year traditionally brings hope for change. We declare resolutions to fuel our resolve. Maybe you set a weight loss goal, a prayer goal, a Bible reading goal, or something different. I do this too, and of course…”

Over two thousand years ago, Jesus came into the world at the RIGHT TIME, at the APPOINTED and ANOINTED time. Our heavenly Father looked down at our world and chose Mary to give birth to the Son of God.

Christmas time is here and as they say it is the time of GOOD CHEER! Christmas songs sing ‘it’s the most wonderful time of the year!’…

Mary held Him close studying the curves and features of His sweet face in the flicker of the dim light. Since the time of Isaiah, Mary’s ancestors had held tightly to the words of the prophet that a deliverer would come….

My youngest grandchildren visited last Saturday while their mommy worked as a nurse, and their daddy did a little Christmas shopping. To make the time memorable for them….

“It is not happy people who are thankful, it is thankful people who are happy.” unknown

Imagine with me that you’ve been invited to a party!!

Two words I have heard my entire life are be still. As a child with way too much energy and a father with very little patience, those words decorated the air in my youth.

I love this time of year when we celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas as it usually allows me to be creative with hospitality, which I thoroughly enjoy. Holiday hospitality is very different than how I grew up.