Recently, on a beautiful evening in Myrtle Beach, we took our oldest son Steve, his wife, Leah, and their three boys to Top Golf. Top Golf offers the experience of a driving range for up to six people in a bay, along with the opportunity to add on food and drinks to enjoy. Upon arrival, you are assigned a bay on one of three floors and given two hours of play.

Have you ever gotten a gift and as you unwrapped it there was another gift box inside another and another and another? What happens is that the gift just keeps getting smaller and smaller until at last, it is revealed.  I confess that I’ve done this before. The joy of giving a tiny gift and presenting it as a HUGE present is so much fun.

From the time we are little ones in school, we are taught to play the game, “Follow the Leader,” or to follow the teacher in single-file fashion down the hall. As a former elementary teacher and children’s ministry director, gathering children to get in line, and then maintaining that straight formation can be compared to herding the Israelites in the desert! I must wonder if the Lord often feels this way about His very own children today!

I think we’ve all felt it, if even for a moment, a hollowness that hits perhaps following a loss or a disappointment. It can be an emptiness where the ache in your soul cries out and echos back, seemingly making that hollowness even deeper. We can see such feelings depicted in the Psalms. 

I love Summer! For me, Summer brings memories of extended family times, late nights, picnics, and swimming in the pool in our backyard. We bought and installed an above-ground pool when our oldest grandchild was about three.

They say that there are two types of people: ones who adapt well to change and those who don’t.  

Adapting to change, keeping an open mind, and “pivoting” are things that weren’t always easy for me. Sometimes, it still can be challenging when something unexpected arises and there is a change in my plans or schedule.

The old hymn “In the Garden” boasts the lyrics “and He walks with me, and He talks with me.” This phrase is a true reflection of my relationship with my earthy father. As a young girl, I recall taking a walk with my dad from our humble home, from the ‘not-so-great part of town,’ to the historic district of our city. What seemed so far for my little eight-year-old legs, was just less than a mile away. 

“Write the vision…” is a phrase that has long echoed in my spirit. I have visions and dreams that have not even begun to take form, but I write that vision, and I pray over that vision, and I speak to that vision. I believe that when it time is right, it will come.

Have you ever observed young children playing soccer for the first time? Inevitably a child kicks the soccer ball down the field in triumph, only to realize they were running in the wrong direction.

Or maybe you have been in church, singing a worship song with great enthusiasm, thinking they were headed for the chorus one more time

I’ll admit it. I am naturally a latecomer.

There are two kinds of people in this world – those who are the first to the party, and those who are the last to arrive. Those who have lots of time to spare in the morning, and those who rush to beat the clock. Those who eat their breakfast at the kitchen table, and those who fumble around trying to eat it in the car on their way.

Have your dreams changed or shifted in your life? As a little girl, I dreamed of becoming an astronaut in my elementary school years, then my love for pets took over in middle school and I wanted to be a veterinarian (which was more like, “Operation: Save Every Animal”).

Today’s writing is for everyone, whether you see yourself as a mother or not!  Scripture calls us in Titus 2:4 that “the old are to teach the young.” There is always someone younger than you, both in age, position, and maturity.  Don’t talk yourself out of offering the wisdom you possess to the next generation or to a newer Christian woman in the faith!

Studying Proverbs 31, the more in-depth I get with it, the more I love it! I feel like I can almost picture this woman in my head. And at times, I have somebody in mind when I read the verse. This one is no different. When I read verse 25, I could practically see in front of me a woman sitting tall with a quiet strength and confidence.

Have you ever met someone who is the picture of beauty? Not simply because they are attractive, but because of how they carry themselves. When faced with a difficult person or situation, they stay calm, and peace surrounds them. Their beauty comes from within.

Confidence is so much more than a statement. True confidence starts in the heart. Confidence is a belief that comes from deep within that says, “I am confident because I know who my Source of confidence is.” Therefore, we can STAND with confidence, SPEAK with confidence, and WALK with confidence because we know where our confidence comes from.

Though the current fashions are oversized, and sometimes we want to wear a baggy shirt and comfy pants on a bloated day, we look our best when our clothes FIT.  Nothing is better than a dress that hangs just right on your frame, or a pair of jeans that slenderize your shape. 

At the Lord’s command, Moses recorded the stages in their journey. This is their journey by stages…”   Numbers 33:2 NIV

 What are some of the stages and seasons of our own journeys? Some or all of the items below will apply to everyone, and this is definitely NOT an exhaustive list.

Day of birth. Walking for the first time. First day of school. First game. First concert. Driving for the first time. First dance/prom. First job.

Our first son, Steve, was born four days after our second anniversary. Our income was small, as we served at our first church, fresh out of Bible college. With money being tight, we hesitantly choose to go with cloth diapers. I would like to say this decision was to "save the planet," but that would not be true.