The family is the foundational unit of society. That was God’s plan from the beginning. It was into the family that babies were born, children were instructed in the right and two people, working together, created a place of security and stability.
Neighbors and Bosses, Family and Friends: Day 3
Authority. The Greek word translated here refers to “power as entrusted, i.e. commission, authority, right, full power.” And, as we know, power is heady stuff. For every good boss, there is one who uses that authority to gain personal advantage. And we deal with “bosses” of all varieties from the person who signs our paycheck to the individual who heads up the committee we have volunteered for. Even anarchists have to have someone in charge.
Neighbors and Bosses, Family and Friends: Day 2
Two years ago we moved into a nice little house on a nice little street surrounded by empty lots. Today there are nine houses with two more underway. Since we are on a cul-de-sac, the construction of each of these homes has been up close and personal, but also fascinating as we watch the homes take shape. Now, as each neighbor family moves in and gets settled, our little street is coming to life with a great variety or people: tele-commuters, retired folks, parents with babies and young children, natives from the area, people who moved here from another part of the country.
Neighbors and Bosses, Family and Friends: Day 1
Have you ever noticed that God’s highest and best for us usually involves growth and change, whereas our natural preferences run toward peace and security? Have you also noticed that, though He loves us “with an everlasting love” (Jer. 31:3) and has “given us everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3), He doesn’t consult us before He upends our life?
Grace Beyond Measure: The Real Me
Most of us have seen them—painted performing artists who are creative and entertaining in their perfect stillness—live statues can fool us. Even up close it is difficult to tell whether they are real or not. Children and adults alike are fascinated by their realism.
Grace Beyond Measure: Rest
Rest is essential to bread making. Bread dough needs to rest because we add yeast to it which is a living organism that takes time to rise, rest, and rise again to increase in size.
Grace Beyond Measure: God Is Enough
During the 19th century, personal tragedy led Puritan Hannah Whitall Smith to write several books on suffering. Her out-of-print devotion book, God Is Enough, spoke to my heart a decade ago while crippled by insecurities. It continues to be one of my most treasured books.
Grace Beyond Measure: Margin to Breathe
Boundaries create margin. What is margin?
Grace Beyond Measure: I Want Jesus
“I want Jesus!” shouted my three year-old granddaughter from the back seat of my car. Imagine my surprise and delight. I wanted to shout back, “You may have Him!” Or, “He wants you, too!” But I didn’t.
One Thing
Our children are stepping into the adult world day by day. Our daughter is finishing college, and our son has just graduated from high school. They are asking big life questions: Where do I go to college? What do I study? Who do I marry? What is my life work? Most recently, our son asked, “What do I need to be a good husband and father?” These are heavy questions that demand wisdom and courage.
What to do?
“Mom,”, my 18-year-old son, soon to be a graduate, whispered, “I don’t know what to do. I need to you tell me what to do.” There was such desperation in his voice and everything in me wanted to figure this out and fix it for him. In reality, it was not a big thing. But in the moment, it was urgent...especially to him. Hadn’t we spent the last eighteen years teaching him how to weigh things with Scripture, to consider others involved, to seek God’s face and to lead by serving? Yes, we had. But my boy was needing some handholding as we talked through options, obligations and expectations. He came to a perfect decision, and I was grateful to still have opportunities to pour into him.
Blessed to be a Blessing
I have always considered my fleshly nature to be stingy. Generosity is not a trait that flows naturally through me. As the Lord is growing me into Christ-likeness, I have begun to look for ways to be gracious and generous to others.
Jealous God
When her baby brother was born, our 2 ½ year old daughter had a rude awakening. Suddenly, she wasn’t the only child. Her parents’ attentions were divided, and in the early days, the division did not seem fair. For almost a year, when referring to her brother, she called him ‘the boy’.
God is my Banner
As a child, I sang, “His Banner Over Me Is Love” with much gusto and hand motions. My own children would dance around their rooms with this proclamation.
Remembering
If you read through Psalms 77, you will find that the psalmist was in a tough spot, in deep distress. He opened his heart to the Lord, and he was honest about how he was feeling. Then he turned his attention to what the Lord had done. He remembered God’s goodness and His mercy.
Glimpses
This verse is so comforting to us. We know that our God is good, and He works all things for our good. BUT . . . we also must remember that our good may include struggles and pain. Our good may be walking through that tough thing.
Wait
I have heard of women asking the Lord for a word from Him at the start of a new year. This word might be a direction, a quality, a verb, or just about any word. It seems to me to be kind of like a theme He wants to speak over us at that time, or for that year. I honestly had not done that before, so this year, that is exactly what I did. I asked Him for a word.
Quiet
Quiet is nice sometimes. You know how it feels when that car alarm won’t stop? And then it does - ahhh. Or how about when the restaurant is so loud you can’t enjoy conversation with a friend or family? And then you leave - whew. It’s like you can finally relax again.
Faithful God
Have you ever had a season in your life in which a character quality of the Lord continues to come to mind? God keeps reminding me of His faithfulness these days. Maybe it’s because I am in a season of transitions. My oldest child is transitioning into adulthood, making decisions about life and future as she navigates college. My 16-year-old is now driving, transitioning into a more independent teen. My home church is even in transition to a new pastor. But God is faithful. In all things. He is faithful.
Fight the Good Fight
Down I fell, flat on my face! I was running downhill with my dog when suddenly she darted ahead. I hung onto the leash trying to slow her down. Instead, her momentum pulled me down until I was face down in the dirt.