The words shot out of his mouth like a horse out of the starting gate. And the moment they hit the air, shock and horror filled his face at what he had just heard in his own voice. In a flash of anger, my little boy had looked at his brother and shouted, “You’re the worst brother ever!” He didn’t mean it. He knew it wasn’t true. But it was done...Keep Reading

Much has been said of the time in which we now live…socially, politically, environmentally…Words like “unprecedented,” “strange,” and “historic” have been used more in the last few months than I ever remember in my life time....Keep Reading

“…and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person...Keep Reading

I write this from my own little spot of isolation in the world…it’s been five weeks since we first became aware that our lives for the foreseeable future would be altered. My own life did not change as much as others perhaps, as my own little brood and I have continued on with a regular routine. Every morning brings a fresh new day of homeschool, followed by house chores, regular Lysol wipe downs, and the refereeing of children to their separate corners of the house when necessary. Next day…wake up…rinse and repeat. I will say, however, that one small but very treasured blessing of our new found slower pace of life is that I have much more opportunity to read for no other reason than pure enjoyment. Something I dearly love and quite frankly have missed as my responsibilities have increased with the ages and stages of my children....Keep Reading

It was a familiar scene… He in his pajamas and me with my cup of coffee all snuggled up together with our blanket. My littlest one is usually up first each morning, and he wastes no time in coming downstairs to climb on my lap and share a few quiet moments with mommy. This morning was no different, and as we sat together in those quiet moments we repeated our usual refrain from one of our favorite books… “Do you know how much I love you?”...Keep Reading

I drove to her house that day with a flood of emotion. I was on my way to make a visit, to minister to someone who was awaiting a very difficult diagnosis, but in truth, I needed ministering to myself. I was fighting my own inner battle...Keep Reading

We were standing in line at the check out, waiting for our turn, when the usual scenario began to play out. I was mentally tallying up the cost of milk and eggs, trying to decide if I should wait to buy batteries next month, and desperately trying to remember what I just knew I had forgotten from my list…when my children began to appeal for a treat. I absent-mindedly answered them, reminding them that Christmas was right around the corner and their stockings would soon be filled with more goodies and toys than they could ever need. Until then, it would be good for them to wait. Unaware that anyone was listening in, I was startled when the lady in front of us offered to buy the children each a candy of their choice...Keep Reading

As I write this, my family and I are on “holiday” at one of our favorite places in all the world…Oak Island, North Carolina. We love this place not so much for what it is, but rather for the memories it holds for us. My husband came here as a boy with his family. Many years later, he brought along a young girl who was absolutely smitten with him and would later become his wife. In turn, we have brought our own little ones over the years…visiting all our familiar spots, taking all the same pictures, and watching time do its bittersweet work as our children grow and change. ...Keep Reading

I knew what she was trying to do...Keep Reading

All summer long I have been the spectator to a nest full of baby swallows. As they emerged from their eggs with feathers matted down, they were completely helpless and fragile. They had nothing to offer the world by way of contribution except for noise and endless mess. ...Keep Reading