I’m……. praying for a WHITE CHRISTmas Not for the beauty of frozen snowflakes transforming the earth- rather, I’m praying God’s glorious blanket of white righteousness covers our messy, dirty, broken lives. Jeff and I grew up in the same little town in Illinois. The candlelight service at midnight on Christmas Eve is one of our […]
Are you having a “Merry Christmas” or a Mary Christmas? I’ve been thinking about that first Christmas and all that led up to beautiful, troubling, not so silent night. s Mary had only a promise from God that He was doing something supernatural in and through her. a Her circumstances told a different story. s […]
The Holidays are upon us and I have a secret I’d love to share. 🙂 I’m turning my holiday celebration into Holyday Rejoicing! [Tweet “Turn your #holiday into #holydays- #rejoice #CHRISTmas #JOY”] We lost something precious when our word “holy days” became diluted to “holiday”! It has become effectually assimilated into our culture as […]
Nothing is impossible with God! IF God is God – why do people struggle with a virgin birth, angelic visitors, a star guiding wise men? If God is God- then everything is possible. God- King of all Kings, Creator, Savior, Redeemer- stepped into an impossible situation- s His creation chose to break the rule. Mankind […]
[Tweet “Want Blessings? Go to God’s fountain and let blessings flow from Him- to us- to others.”] Blessings don’t come as a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. They come with knowing we are in God’s care with every breath we take. When I was little, I used to sing the […]
[Tweet “”You are the #light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. “] [Tweet “And the darkness cannot overcome the Light. #shine #Glory”] After searching five different stores, I was still unsuccessful finding a large outdoor star to shine over our Nativity scene. I finally began asking. “Don’t you have […]
On the daily circus of picking up kids from school and taking them to assorted places, I drove from elementary and middle schools, to finally arrive at the high school to pick up Spencer. He’s been recovering from a broken collar bone so he’s missed some days for surgery and recovery. 🙁 I asked him […]
Is Love a Feeling or a Decision? Is love a feeling that sweeps us away, releases feel good endorphins and makes our heart happy and our brain mush? Or is love a decision that enriches our lives? Yes. Throughout our lives we’re called to grow outside of our old selves. New beginnings demand new aptitude. […]
I found this great quote above by Melody Beattie on Pinterest! [Tweet “Want a #happy life? Practice #gratefulness!”] “Mo-om!” (try to envision our sweet Bethany with a mopey, pathetic, whiny voice striving to bring sympathy to her plight 😉 ) “Do I HAVE to go to school tomorrow????” sigh “No, Bethany. You GET to […]
Have you ever noticed how irritating it can be when people are “different” than you? People can get on your nerves. Drive you up the wall. Rub you the wrong way. Get under your skin. Sometimes it’s just the way they look. Other times, it’s their annoying habits, repeated offenses, or rude grossness; I’ve come […]
Conversation #217+ Bethany: “Mom, I need an I Phone. That way you can go to the grocery store and I’ll be ok to stay at home. I can call if I need you. Right? You see I need an I Phone? Right?” Bethany has many variations on this conversation 🙂 lol This time, something practical […]
Ruined Masterpiece Restored We are all made in God’s image, we are His children, and the work of His hands. My last post was the beginning truth for our identity. (To See Made in God’s Image post click here) When Bethany saw a dwarf the other day, she surprised me by asking, “Mom, what’s wrong […]
Tuesday mornings, Bethany and I take our books to McDonald s for breakfast and some off campus home schooling 😉 “Mom,” Bethany whispered after we got our order, “what’s wrong with that man? Why is he so little?” I realized with a start, that although I want people to be knowledgeable about down syndrome, that […]
My Top 5 platitudes and phrases NOT to say to a parent who has a child with special needs Is she high functioning? Ex-cuuuuuse me?! How can there even be any kind of measurable answer to that? As compared to what? or whom? or when? Would it make you feel better if I […]
Life isn’t ALL treasure- Most of the time it’s hard and messy. A few months ago, we received a SURPRISING phone call. Jeff’s brother, Steve and his wife Allison, and son, Justin, got transferred and they’re moving to our neck of the woods after 20 years of living on the East Coast! They flew in […]