Thoughts

Winter is a good time to look at trees. While many of them do not showcase the finery of leaves or color or flowers, their architectural beauty is open to be seen. Sturdy trunks stretch up lifting branches toward the sky. The intricate weaving of large and small limbs creates designs that fascinate, and the […]

Christ is the message of Christmas! In Him, we see the fullness of the Father’s love. He is the way to peace with God and peace for the earth. He is the absolute joy of sins forgiven and eternal life; and He is hope – the steadfast assurance that just as surely as He came […]

“What did you get for Christmas?” This is the infamous question that begins every post-Christmas conversation. Whether you are nine or ninety, inquiring minds want to know – “What did you get?” This year, I am preempting the question. I already know what I got for Christmas, because over fifty years ago, on December 20th, […]

We attended a children’s retelling of the Christmas story last night. The characters did not speak, but they acted their parts as a narrator guided us, from scene to scene, through the timeless tale. The story began with tiny Mary listening to the angel tell her that she would have a child. We followed our […]

An oft repeated phrase. I said it over and over again to my children, and now it is embedded in conversations with my grandchildren. It rolls off the tongue like water from the rooftop, and it is good and pleasant, ringing with truth. The words are so familiar that one can almost be flippant when […]

Today, as we rummaged through some stored items, my eight-year-old granddaughter found a treasure. So, of course, I had to tell her the story. Thumbelina was a Christmas gift. I was nine years old, and the second day of Christmas break from school I broke out with a horrendous case of chicken pox. There was […]

Tucked away in the account of the Christmas story in Luke, chapter two, is a verse that speaks to the heart of a mother. Luke 2:18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. Scripture […]

Today as I mix and chop and stir and bake, I am reminded of other years and other times. Times when my mom was up at four in the morning basting the ham to make sure it would be perfect in time for lunch. Times when dad waited to be the taste tester for mom’s […]

Science defines many of the miraculous sights in our world. For instance, here is the definition of a rainbow from the Merriam-Webster dictionary: “an arc or circle that exhibits in concentric bands the colors of the spectrum and that is formed opposite the sun by the refraction and reflection of the sun’s rays in raindrops, spray, […]

The American Dream is somewhat defined as the spirit or set of ideals, like liberty, equality, and opportunity, that describe the aspirations and expectations of the American people. It includes the idea that hard work can result in upward mobility and greater opportunity. There is nothing wrong with this dream, and I am thankful to […]

Today is a true, North Florida November day. The air is cool, but not cold. An overcast sky shields the sun but does not really promise rain. Showers of leaves cascade from the oaks in the sporadic breeze, and the satsumas are ripening. I love November! November is the North Florida season of color. Grapevines […]

Footing that was stable suddenly shifts making every step an adventure of where I will land. Gingerly, I make my way across the room holding to the dresser, the wall, the door frame, the chair. What was an easy few steps has become an obstacle course accompanied by a stomach that is performing its own […]

The Bible talks a lot about prayer. So do we. We talk a lot about it, but we often find it difficult to actually pray. We see it as a duty or a religious exercise rather than a conversation with the God of the universe. And this is our loss. The psalmist David spoke of […]

I missed Daughter’s Day….again. I cannot seem to keep up with all the special days that have been added to the calendar, especially since there often seem to be disagreements on exactly when each recognition occurs. Not to make an excuse or to depreciate the importance of celebrating loved ones, but in my heart, every […]

In the confusing messages of the day, we can have trouble discerning the Truth. We are bombarded with opinions and unsubstantiated ‘facts’ and accusations and condescending attitudes toward those who disagree with the given message. Some days, it is hard to stand. So, how do we find Truth? How do we know for certain what […]

Dry, hot weather has ruled this summer where I live. Scorching days that caused the flowers to wilt and some to die. While I tried to keep them watered, there were periods of time when this wasn’t possible. I would leave home saying good by to a garden of robust blooming plants and return home […]

I’m not sure you have lived until you have stood on a riverbank on a rainy day, sheltered only slightly by trees, brushing off the droplets bountifully supplied by the squirrels shaking the wet branches overhead. I’m not sure you have lived if you have never soaked in the silence that accompanies the gentle current […]

“The sun is coming up. I see it in the clouds. Wow! Wow! Wow!” Those were the awestruck words I heard from our four-year-old grandson as he rounded the corner of the patio on his small bike. He was getting rid of excessive early morning energy, and his whispered thoughts recognized the wonder of the […]

Sometimes the words don’t come. Sometimes I bow my head and confusion clutters, sorrows shadow, and problems persist. Burdens press down on my heart. I try to pray, but there.are.no.words. No words to convey my heart or my loved one’s need. No words to express the hurt, the fears, the uncertainty that fills me. No […]

I love the David of the Bible. I think this is because I identify so fully with his words. He was not a perfect man, but he was an honest man in his relationship to God. As I thumb through the Book of Psalms, I read about his questions and fears and confusions (Psalms 2, […]