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Harry S. Truman State Park, Missouri My dad was a happy man, but he took his life and his responsibilities seriously. He worked hard, and he taught us to be accountable in life.   Outings often found us in the woods or in areas around lakes and water. In Florida, that means weeds and snakes and alligators. Early in life, we were taught to look where we stepped and not to run carelessly through high weeds or to jump over rotting logs, a favorite resting place of snakes. Instea

Everywhere Jesus went He touched people.   As I read through the ninth chapter of Matthew, I kept a list of his encounters.   He got off the ship and was immediately met with a people bringing him a paralyzed man. He forgave the man and then healed the man.   He left and passed Matthew collecting taxes and called him to follow.   Along the way He debated with the Pharisees who seemed to swarm around Him like mosquitoes. They didn’t stop Him, but they were always there biting

The second chapter of Mark relates a story that has always challenged me.

If I could choose one word for this new year, it would be season. My life has seen many seasons. Seasons of childhood and growing. Seasons of new love and building a home. There have been seasons of children’s laughter and seasons of children’s sickness. Seasons of births and times when we have said goodbye to loved ones. In our home, we had the season of boat building and the season of shed building. We had the season where we lived in an RV and the times when we seemed to m

I have heard the invitation in my heart throughout this season, “Come to the Manger.”   It has echoed as I waited in traffic and walked in crowded stores.   I have felt its pull as I listened in church and read my Bible.   “Come to the Manger.” The words repeated in my head, and even though I pushed them away, they returned like persistent mosquitoes, always there when I was still enough to hear.   “Why the manger?” I thought. But even as I questioned, I could see myself sitt

At the top of Matthew, chapter one, in my Bible stands the word “grace” written in capital letters. This is because God’s grace permeates the genealogy of Joseph, which we find recorded there. Grace, the unmerited – undeserved – favor of God. Favor bestowed on us simply because of who God is, because of His […]

I’m dreaming of a blessed ChristmasJust like so many I have known.Where my full heart pondersAnd thinks and wondersAbout the things my God has done.I’m dreaming of a blessed ChristmasWith every Christmas card I write.I pray for each loved oneAnd thank God’s dear SonFor bringing each into my life.I’m dreaming of a blessed ChristmasAs old […]

Things that make me smile – I could go on, and when I do I realize that there is much to smile about in this world. So many blessings heaped on us each day. There are trials. There is hurt, but God pads it all with joy and beauty if we open our eyes to […]

What is the meaning of ‘corner stone’? Historically, the corner stone was the first stone set in a masonry building, with all other stones in the foundation being laid in reference to this first stone. Therefore, the corner stone was critical and the determining factor in the stability of the building. God has established His […]

Hearts are broken, souls are torn,Struggling, wounded, and so worn.Let Your Spirit comfort be.Let our eyes Your mercy see.Help us, Lord, we cry to You.There is nothing more to do.All our help comes through Your hand.Grant us strength to stand.At the end of all we knowIs the One to Whom we go.Straight into Your loving […]

When I unfurled the hose this morning, I didn’t expect a lizard to jump into my bucket, but he did. And the problem began. That lizard bounded right into some fertilizer that was in the bottom of my bucket. I didn’t know what the fertilizer would do to him, so I tried to get him […]

I almost missed the sound as I drove by the church, but the refrain just barely caught my ear. Church bells! I rolled down my window to see if I could identify the tune, but the noise of the cars kept coming, frustrating me that I couldn’t hear well enough. I wanted to listen – […]

As I walked to the mailbox this morning, I noticed a heart-shaped leaf on the ground. I walked on and found another and another. My path was strown with hearts – laid out before me like an autumn love letter. I couldn’t help but smile as I thought about the love of my Father and […]

Moses was an illegal alien, an adopted child, a murderer, a man in exile who was called of God to lead a people from bondage. We are not kind to our leaders. He endured threats of violence, incessant complaining from the people, the betrayal of his siblings, and a stubborn and willful nation, but through […]

When a chapter begins with a death, you get an inkling that you may get additional bad news in that story. The twentieth chapter of Numbers begins with the death of Miriam, Moses’ and Aaron’s sister, and it goes downhill from there. The children of Israel are well into the wilderness of Zin at this […]

I know a place where I find restWhere my heart is fully blessedPerfect peace unsurpassedYour love holds me fastAt Your cross where mercy flowedThere You bore sin’s heavy loadYou freed my heart to live againRansomed from sin’s painWhen temptations o’er me rollOverwhelm my troubled soulYour strong arms rescue meBreak my spirit freeYou are my place […]

October has been a month of Mondays for our family. Challenge after challenge has come our way, and while we continue to rejoice in God’s blessings, we are a little weary of chasing down the balls lobbed our way. The type of challenge doesn’t matter. Trials are a common language in the human experience, and […]