5 Tips for Moms Releasing Their Kids {Guest Post, Give-Away}
I invited my good friend Brenda Yoder to join me here today to talk about releasing our kids. Releasing -- or "fledging" -- happens multiple times throughout the lives of our children. In fact, even when they're fully out of the nest, as mine are, we may still need practice letting go as we watch them stumble through learning how to be adults...
A Mouse Ran Up My Arm Today – Why?
There is no way to spiritualize what's on my mind as I sit down to write for 5 quick minutes. There just isn't. I won't even try. A mouse ran up my arm today. A mouse! I hate, detest, fear, obssess over mice. I do. And when one runs up my arm, I can't get it off my mind. So that's what you'll get at Five Minute Friday. I was doing a typical...
Journey Into Lent: Ashes of Mortality and Repentence
A year ago, I was God-struck by an Ash Wednesday service that took me back to another season, to the faith tradition that formed me. With Ash Wedneday and this new season of Lent approaching, I thought I'd share the essay again. This year, I'll have a role in our church's service, an assignment that adds another layer of blessing upon this...
Can We Agree To Disagree?
Sometimes it isn't in agreement that we find harmony, but in finding a way to agree to disagree. In joining the Five Minute community today, I'm marveling at the way God orchestrates the smallest details of our lives -- even down to the focus He plans for our days. This month, the essays featured in The Redbud Post include one I wrote nearly a...
Surrender :: Do I Have the Patience of Job?
Five minutes on this one word -- SURRENDER. I could write all day.... I began reading through scripture chronologically last fall, at the start of Advent, and picked it up again January 1 with Genesis. For seven weeks those of us reading it together, and commenting on Facebook, celebrated the beauty of creation and lamented the trials of God's...
When Perspective Gets Personal
My husband and I had a disagreement on the way to church today over a certain Christmas gift. With each of us standing our ground from two very different perspectives, we entered the doors to worship and fellowship. Both of us left convicted by the Word of God. On the way home, one of us apologized. We've agreed to disagree. Our debate drew my...
Simplify :: Lift It Up, Lay It Down, Carry On
I like things to come in threes. It probably comes from my training as a floral designer. Always, blossoms placed in threes, never one, two or four. It's all about balance, said my instructor. During Advent, in the midst of crazy and beautiful and busy, I tried to simplify the season with these three phrases: "Lift It Up, Lay It Down and Carry...
Motivate :: Like a Chipmunk, Hunkering Down for the Cold, Dark Days of Winter
This is the view outside my window today. What does it look like outside yours? I've latched onto my #oneword2018 and set up my bullet journal for the year. I updated the wall calendar and made plans for meet-ups with friends and family in January. Sounds like I'm motivated, doesn't it? Not really. What I'd really like to do in the days and...
My One Word for 2018?
I'm all about fresh starts, new days and Monday mornings. So, give me a holiday to celebrate a new year, and I'm there. After an evening of fun, games and good food with people I've come to love, on this first day of January (a Monday, no less!) I'm ready to step into 2018. But today, I'm dipping a toe in the water of this new year with a bit...
Celebrating the Holidays in Traditional British Style
Our family has just a few Christmas traditions. One of them is sharing a bowl of English Trifle some time over the holidays. This year, as one of my sons helped prepare this traditional British dessert, I couldn't help but think of my long-time friend and pen pal, Valerie. Here's a post from three years ago about a Christmas spent in England...
