Looking Back at 2019

2019 was quite the year. I fell and injured my back 3 times. Hubby and I went to Disneyland. We won a new car. I read 175 books. I fostered a mama cat and watched her bring 5 babies into this world. Three of them still live here. We got two puppies. Yes, I do…

Give the Girl a Name, parts 1 & 2

(Trigger warning.  I'm going to be talking about a story from the Bible that involves rape and abuse.) (Since I really like this post, I decided to combine both parts so I can see it all in one place.) There are some stories in the Bible that just make me mad--mostly when people make bad…

Hello, Pain, Old Friend

For as long as I can remember, I've been in pain of one kind or another. I broke my wrist at 6. I started getting headaches when I was 8 or 9. I injured my back while sledding when I was 11 or 12. I sprained my wrists and ankles a lot in 6th &…

Adapt or Die

Have you ever watched a nature show and the narrator says some stuff that you just can't help but talk back to? No? Maybe that's just me. Sometime last year I was watching this show about some cheetahs in the African Savannah (I think). And the narrator was saying in his fine, British-accented voice, "If…

The Next Right Thing

If you like books as much as I do, you will be able to relate to how excited I was when I learned that Emily P. Freeman was releasing a new book. I pre-ordered it as soon as it was available for pre-ordering. And then I had to wait. Waiting can be so hard when…

Discipline is NOT my Favorite Word

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…

New Year, Same Me

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,…

Christmas Favorites

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…

O Come, O Come, O Come Already!

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…

A Savior Comes!

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…