-
When Sin Trails Behind Us
The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. –1 Timothy 5:24 Paul made this small but vivid remark at the end of a letter to his younger friend, Timothy. The wisdom has stuck in my mind. Sin on the Flashing Sign There…
-
Will It Last?
Caught up in the moment. It’s an easy place to wind up, unaware we’ve veered off course. It’s the kind of host that refuses to let us leave on time. It’s a bit like the junk drawer we fill up with useless stuff while complaining about a lack of storage space. How often we find…
-
Is This the Change You’re Looking For?
Having just traveled a few states to work in the summer heat, it was admirable how upbeat the youth were. Their mission trip involved hard work laboring to repair homes and make helpful upgrades. They spent a lot of time in one house rebuilding part of a damaged wall. Everything from measuring to cutting to…
-
The Light of Summer
This past winter, we let our car pretend it was a sled as we moved from the east coast to the Midwest. Now, we live on the western edge of the Eastern Time zone. That didn’t mean all that much to me until summer sauntered in. The sun shines here until nearly 10 o’clock at…
-
Exceeding Limits
“Well that’s enough of that,” I’d smile and say to the sweet toddler I was watching after he guzzled a glass of apple juice but reached for more. I say the same words to myself when I’ve gotten lost in a good book but need to get the dishes done. “Enough,” in my vocabulary, usually…
-
Jesus Text
“buuuzzzz, buzzz.” “Who’s that?” I ask. It’s not my business. I don’t especially care. I’m just being nosy (usually because I’m bored.) My husband’s reply is often, “It’s Jesus.” I roll my eyes. He smirks. It’s our bit. But sometimes when we play that little game, I think about how nice it would be to…
-
Differences Between Complacency and Contentment
Where does complacency put you? In short: stuck. When you choose to be complacent, you choose to stay right where you are and settle for what you have. Life just is, and you’ve accepted it for what it is. The difference is alluded to in the Bible: “Wisdom is a shelter as money is a…
-
How to Take Thoughts Captive When You Feel Like You’ve Lost It
You wouldn’t think it’s possible to get lost in a stand-up shower. But for me, this is a regular occurrence. The cream-colored fiberglass is smooth, except for droplets of water dripping slowly down. I stand there shivering in my hastily tugged on and slightly dampened clothing, unaware of where I am, why, or the fact…
-
Brand Ambassadors for Jesus?
Have you heard of Wegmans? If you’ve talked with me in person a few times, you probably have. I tend to bring up Wegmans when people mention eating out, grocery stores, saving money, specialty foods….or food at all. If I wanted to start a side business as a Wegmans ambassador, it would be a natural…
-
God Made Martha
“What’s a Martha?” my husband asked when he saw the title of the book. “Martha from the Bible,” I replied, tapping the subtitle. He read it out loud: “good news for the woman who gets things done.” Laughing, he said, “that’s you!” Tackling common misconceptions, Reid addresses the reasons Jesus corrected Martha when she grew…