When the Innocent Suffer; Stop the Heartache
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The issue of violence in the home deserves more than 31 days of concentrated attention. It's a sad fact that domestic violence affects one in four women in the United States every day. The recent headlines citing sports figures accused of abusive behavior have turned the spotlight on domestic...
What Declaration Do You Make With Your Life?
I'm linking up today at 3DLessons4Life for Thought-Provoking Thursday. Join me there for "something to think about" by tapping the little red sofa. There's a beautiful, empty space above the sofa in our "front" room. The picture that has hung there for years (and which hung in the dining room of the house where I grew up) has been moved...
Reflecting on the “How and Where” of God’s Reflection in Our Little World
When I'm tuned in -- spending time in Scripture, lifting my heart to hear God's whispers -- I see more of the touch of God in this crazy world. The wonderful thing about our God is that He shows up even when we're NOT paying attention. He just does that. Because He loves us. In my usual state of distraction, I often miss it. And when I do...
How ‘Forgotten Children’ Changed My Life
At a writing conference in Michigan last spring, I met a tall young woman with a captivating smile and a beautiful accent. We ran into each other over and over again during the conference (including in various restrooms) and decided we could be “cyber friends”. Though we live half a continent apart, I’ve enjoyed getting acquainted with Bronwyn...
What Stinks in Your Back Yard?
Our two dogs are hunters by avocation, "man's best friend" when they're not on the prowl. On any given day, remnants of their most recent hunting expedition can be found on our front lawn. Such was the case on a beautiful late summer evening recently. As I rolled along on my riding mower, making my perfectly straight paths, I spotted a pile of...
A Call for Church Elders to Stay the Course
It's a sad reality that millennials (those born between 1985 and 2000) are leaving the church in record numbers. (See my comments here.) But recent discussion centers around the fact that Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) are also turning from faith traditions. Last week, I read with interest the Her.meneutics column in...
What to Do While Watching the Corn Grow
It's like walking down an avenue of corn. This time of year, our country road is lined on both sides by tasseled stalks towering eight feet as they reach for the sun, creating a beautiful tunnel for my evening walks. Walking is my chosen posture for thinking and praying. Something about moving along helps unlock thoughts, concerns, ideas...
Remembering “A Girl of the Limberlost”
A late-summer afternoon custom-made for an outdoor birthday party drew me to the nearby home of Hoosier author and naturalist Gene Stratton Porter. Mrs. Porter would have been 151 on August 17. Guests at her home on Sylvan Lake near Rome City, Indiana, celebrated the author's birthday with music, storytelling, walks through the garden and...
Meet These Very Inspiring Bloggers
A few days ago, my good friend and fellow blogger Connie Gochenaur surprised me with a nomination for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Connie writes two very good blogs, including one that chronicles her mother's journey through dementia. A Journey With Mom, is raw, moving and inspiring. Please visit her there and at My Days Well-Lived. This...
When is Enough Enough?
It appears I've been taking more than my daily ration of "manna" this summer. A few too many late evening ice cream cones at Lucy's and way too many vanilla lattes (with whip, yes) at my favorite coffee shop have pushed the scales a good decade past where I began the summer. So now instead of that lingering 10 pounds I've been fighting to...