Stick with me here. I'm not talking about classroom discipline or how to discipline your child or your dog. We're talking spiritual disciplines. Like meditation, prayer, fasting, stewardship, study, contemplation, confession, solitude, gratitude, self-examination, silence, and celebration. Before you say that these don't sound spiritual in the Bible sense or maybe you really don't like…
We've just had the first Monday of 2019. The house has been de-Christmased. Things are back to whatever's normal this time of year. And for me, normal involves seasonal affective disorder (read what the Mayo clinic has to say about it here). Basically, not getting enough sunshine during daylight hours tends to make me sadder. …
Welcome to 2019! How have your first 4 days been of this new year? How are you doing on your resolutions? Too overwhelming? Maybe you're still in a sugar coma from the holidays. Or maybe you're still in denial that it's a new year. Or maybe you are just dreading something. Like all the gloomy,…
One of the Advent books I've been reading this year is The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp. It's a walk through different stories in the Bible that point to the coming of the Messiah. There's a Bible passage and a meditation on that passage. The other book I've been reading this year is the 2018…
How are you doing? Friday was Winter Solstice, the shortest and darkest day of the year and the first day of winter. It's been raining a lot here the past week or so, so even though there's a full moon up there somewhere, the clouds are so thick and the rain so persistent that I…
Christmas is next Tuesday! Are you ready? All the decorating is done, right? And the gifts are purchased and wrapped and under the tree or in the mail, right? Your Christmas cards are in the mail. The goodies are all baked and the menu is planned and dishes have been delegated. And you've considered alternative…
Do you ever just feel super-stressed out this time of year? Maybe you're looking at your "Gotta Get This Done Before Christmas" list. Maybe you don't do lists. Either way, you know that you've got cookies to bake and put in those cute little tins to give to people. You've got some gifts that you…
It's finally December! Christmas music is everywhere! Do you love it or are you counting down the days until the regular programming is back? Do you have your tree up yet? How do you like to decorate it? Do you do a theme that's the same every year or different every year? My mom and…
This is one of my favorite times of year. Not because I get all kinds of presents. That's fun. I get to give presents. I get to make presents. And people seem to be in a good mood for the season. The music is fun. The decorations are awesome. Hallmark movies are cheesy and happy…
New Living Translation 1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever. 4 Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever. 5 Give…