We’ve got to face this: Porn is an insidious, destructive, pernicious lie. No one benefits from porn. No one. People may think they’re benefiting as they temporarily have sensual and emotional gratification, or relief from stress or loss. Magazines and movies gave way to desktop and then laptop computers and now cellphones for everyone! Instant porn in a pocket. Porn in pockets everywhere. People may think the activity is harmless, private, inconsequential. They may think they’re actually doing their spouse a favour by not *actually* being seduced by real women. But that’s just one of the insidious lies; those are…
-
-
I’ve had the great privilege of getting to know Keri and was honoured to be asked to read the draft of this book before it was published. You’ll immediately see her heart in this writing and you’ll likely see yourself in the pages as her story unfolds; it may well describe or reveal a bit of your own story–your own struggle to be present amidst the stranglehold and demands of social media and the desire to be relevant clashing with the desire to be present wherever you are in life. So, get the book, read it… and be: Present.
-
[cp_dropcaps]T[/cp_dropcaps]his morning as I sat at my dining room table, I thought, what if I did one new thing each day for the rest of this year, how many things would I be able to do? How many additional things would be accomplished? Two Hundred Sixty Six. Imagine: 266 additional things. Instantly, I’m reminded of the significance of the number 266 — an average pregnancy is 266 days. Not anymore for this Sarah, but that’s a number I’ll never forget. I considered: Purposefully learning and purposefully accomplishing one additional thing every day. Adding one more step, situp, pushup, crunch, squat—-one…
-
As I’ve begun the THM (Trim Healthy Mama) journey, I’m surprised how easy it has been to change my eating *lifestyle* bcz, seriously, food is a lifestyle with me — and I know it is very much so for many other mamas. Food speaks volumes for most mamas… it says, I love you… I care about you… I’m thinking of you… I’m celebrating with you… I am making memories memories with and for you… setting traditions you’ll carry on in your own homes some day. Food says: welcome home. Events of most days are food related. Talk about food, think…
-
If you’ve been a mom for any length of time and you’ve spent time in and about homeschooling circles, Bible studies, workshops, conventions, courtship talks, retreats, blogs in the last 3 years or so… etc., etc., you’ve no doubt heard, or been part of, conversations that left you with a case of comparatitus. All those Titus2 groups… you may lament and despair. Comparatitus happens — no matter your age, no matter your income, no matter your experience and, really, no matter your skills and abilities. Comparatitus happens. Some time back, a group of sisters were gathered and there was…
-
It’s the week before Christmas and all through the house, mother is ____________ and the family feels ___________. I posted this @ Welcome Home on Facebook… but it’s so important that I thought I’d share it here. I’ve been posting brief year-end countdown thoughts on Facebook @ Welcome Home. In the new year I hope to post daily home notes and verses for encouragement. More housekeeping and sorting today. Don’t be afraid to box up stuff you really don’t use — as you’re cleaning and preparing for festive dinners and/or visits from family & friends. Whatever you box up today,…
-
I’ve entitled this blog entry The Vacant Chair — a title that’s not original with me, but the title of a poem I’ll add to this post in a moment. The poem was written by a dear saint, the husband of a precious friend who passed into heaven earlier this year. It’s interesting that the poem should come in the mail today… as I have been thinking of several different ones who have ‘vacant chairs’ at their tables again this year. I think of the mothers and fathers who stand at the glass watching for the wayward son or daughter,…
-
A dear friend recently wrote a letter regarding losing vision and had several thoughts regarding the danger of lacking vision, and the importance of having vision or purpose. I’ve mulled that over. And over. I empathized and I actually sort of felt sick at the thought, the tragic thought of losing vision. And then it struck me (but it wasn’t the first time) that I’ve lost vision. If you’ve never “lost vision” before, then it’s probably hard to understand how someone could go along, have a great track to run on and then suddenly lose vision. But it happens. And…
-
It seems that at some point in the life of every blog there’s a post about blogs in general, about bloggers and why they blog or, specifically, a post about that blog and its purpose. I don’t know why we do it, but every now and then we do it – we feel the need to amplify our purpose or we feel compelled to justify or defend our writing. I love words. I love writing. I write all the time. I occasionally post a few of the things I’ve written. I have journals full of notes. I have folders full…
-
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,…