Time to turn a corner on topics. I’m beginning a series on good reads, good health, and good deeds — a loose arrangement of topics that may be of benefit to you. Thank you for reading my posts. I want to bless you.
When you read The Wall Street Journal or People Magazine, you do so (if you do) for differing reasons. You have purposes. You are looking for Continue reading
Long ago and far away, when I was a young school teacher at Baymonte Christian High School in Scotts Valley, California (south of San Jose), I accepted an invitation by two other high school teachers to go spelunking. The three of us plus one high school senior headed out in “exploration clothes” (jeans and old clothes that covered a person well). The caves were nearby in Santa Cruz. The entrance was so obscure that it was not even noticeable to passersby. “Where are we going?” “What are we doing?” Lying on our stomachs, we slithered through narrow tunnels — first forward, then smooth turns to the right and left. We stayed close at each other’s heels.
I don’t hear this expression much anymore, but when I was a little girl, I remember hearing Christians talk about “asking Jesus into your heart.” This was a way of describing how to become a Christian, how to be born again. Ask Jesus into your heart. Some little children have taken this quite literally, thinking that Jesus is inside their blood pumping organ.
We discover many expressions, idioms, and metaphors in Scriptures — phrases that Continue reading
It’s dark here. Dank and cool. Looking up, light seeps through a crack along the horizon. No. It’s a door! What is on the other side? Try the door. Will it open?
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but Continue reading
I had a post ready to publish last Friday, but then “the devil rolled into Newtown,” as I remember hearing the news anchor, Bill Hemmer, express. Most energy moves to the point of pain, so what I once had to say became unimportant. Language cannot express the suffering, so as the Scriptures explain, “We know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now,” referring to the coming birth of “the glory that is to be revealed to us” in God’s eternal state when evil is banished (context of Romans 8: 18-30). “. . .We ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly. . . .” This passage also states that the Spirit of God groans for us because we are too weak to even know how to pray!
When you’re raising children, no matter their age, every week is a big week.
“How’re ya doing?”
“Oh, we’re hanging in there! We’re busy.”
You hear that a lot, don’t you? I can imagine Continue reading
Approaching the end of the school year, we look back over the year, remembering where we were at the beginning, considering highlights — both achievements and disappointments — that changed us. It is good to consider how we are different today in comparison to last August. Are we stronger in our faith? Are we better in character: kinder, wiser, more Christ-like? Are our changes energized not from a prideful “I can do whatever I dream” spirit, but from the Holy Spirit? Continue reading
The school year is almost over, so it’s time to explore our last character-driven theme of the year. In a fallen world, no one can survive without this quality. Beyond survival, no one can thrive without it. We learn the need of it even before we go to kindergarten. I suppose it’s like the white cells in our blood stream – necessary in order to keep us clean, protected, and alive. You’ve probably figured it out. Continue reading
We are like the box top picture on a 5000 piece puzzle: our children get the idea of what life looks like through the pictures of our lives. Other people also provide box top pictures of life for us and our children. We’ve considered Sokvannarra (Sy) Sar, a young man from Cambodia who came to America and has become a classical ballet dancer. Sy’s life demonstrates humility, loyalty, tenacity, selflessness, perseverance, kindness, respect and honor. Recently, we’ve been looking at some scenes from my story. What character qualities do you observe that God was shaping in me? Continue reading
Journey North Character 