Pools are forming around every tree as rain pours from booming thunderous clouds and lightning flashes across the already bright sky. Again hammering thunder and lightning booms and cracks across the sky… more rain now soaks everything in sight. Flashes of lightning seem to introduce more striking booms of thunder, ushering in more showers of rain. The breeze is fresh and aromatic, the greens, reds, yellows and whites are more brilliant, more fragrant, than earlier in the morning sunlight. The sheer curtains are billowing in the strong breezes. We’ve just finished another lunch on the lanai and we’ve been studying …
-
-
You’re never as right as you think you are — and — you’re never as wrong as you think you are. Deep down, I know this — and you probably know this, too. But we, too often, get stuck dwelling on our dilemmas or grieving over our losses. We get stuck, too, in maintaining our ‘rightness’ and fail to stop and consider our ‘wrong-ness’ about a matter. And then someone comes along and after hearing part of the story, illuminates the darkened or obscured side of the matter. And then we see, much to our regret, that maybe, just maybe,…
-
Well, I’m thinking that no April Fool’s Day would be complete without first agreeing with the Psalmist: The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” And then, including an admonishment from the Proverbs: He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” –13.20 April Fool’s Day has long been a day of silly tricks and pranks at our house — the one day a year that shenanigans can be played and everyone’s on the lookout…
-
Telling stories of your yesterdays bores some people, encourages some people and inspires some people — embarrasses some people, too. I know, many times through the years, I’ve witnessed the reactions women have when some woman opens her mouth to share her story. I’ve seen it when I’ve shared my story. They’ve heard it all before and they’re weary at the thought of having to hear it ah-gain. People totally write other people off when they’re weary of hearing their stories. Sadly, as some poor woman begins to utter the first sentence of her story (again), her audience, as if…
-
That’s how the stories usually begin… that’s how they usually come tumbling out of mouth of a woman sitting beside me. The story is actually prefaced with: Can I talk to you? And after I say, Of course, hot tears seem to well up in the eyes of the one who desperately needs to tell someone — someone who will listen, someone who will understand, someone who will care. [ Because of something I might have shared there in a talk or because of the “safe-feeling” of the setting – maybe it’s after a Bible study, a Ladies’ Tea or…
-
In 1979 Bob Dylan recorded the song “Gotta Serve Somebody.” For those who listen with biblically informed ears the refrain echoes Paul and Jesus: Paul: “You are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness” (Romans 6:16). Jesus: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24). Dylan’s refrain: But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed, You’re gonna have to serve somebody. Well,…
-
It just dawned on me that there are a bunch of co-incidents going on right now. But it’s not surprising to me when I’m dealing with something and then I notice several other similar something’s come up around the same time. You probably notice this is true in your life… when you’re going through something you hear about or see similar things all around. I’ve been writing about CSA (childsexualabuse) for the last week or so. I feel like I might owe readers an apology — not for writing what I’ve written, but for not giving a clear ‘warning’ regarding…
-
That’s a question I asked myself for a long time. After I told my mother about my father sexuallyabusing me, it would be a long time before I would talk about it again. I didn’t say, it would be a long time before I thought about it again — just a long time before I would talk about it again. And there would be good reason for that — or so I thought. I was sort of under the delusion that if I talked about it one of two things would happen: I would be labeled _____ (fill in the…
-
♥ Happy Valentine’s Day to you all ♥
-
my true love gave to me: His Word. As I was praying this morning I recalled a passage of Scripture that has been so meaningful to me — and especially today as I was seeking the Lord for His blessing on this new year, for His direction and provision. So I read through Psalm 65. One verse, in particular, is my prayer for this year. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. psalm 65.11 And so, I do pray the Lord will crown this year with His goodness, and that His provision will be evident. …