on forgiveness: intro

In the past week I have had several conversations about forgiveness. Also I have had the opportunity to forgive some people, who I will not name at present. Forgiveness is probably the most important life skill we can learn. It is even more important than tying your shoes and balancing a check book because you … Continue reading →

the first lesson and the second

The kids, they’ve been wanting to learn how to sew. It was first on their list of things they wanted to learn this summer, just like it was the first on their list last summer. Sometimes I am slow about things. And they know exactly what they want to sew. My youngest brought an embroidered … Continue reading →

storms

Those muggy summer nights I curled up on the carpet next to the air intake at the center of the house, trembling. It was there that the thunder’s rumble couldn’t reach me. I knew better than to be afraid. I was old enough — old enough to remember the shame of my fear, how it … Continue reading →

do your job

Your job is to do your job, not somebody else’s. This is hard because most everyone else in your life is trying to get you to do their job. They want you to accomplish their dreams for you, which is directly related to their dreams for them. They insist — directly or not — that … Continue reading →

hugs from heaven (via chocolate chip cookies)

I hate to use “perfect” when describing a cookie, but sometimes that is the only suitable adjective that’s available. And that is the case for my (current) favorite chocolate chip cookies. I know different cookies suit different people and uses, but this one is your best bet for world domination. (And you are naive to … Continue reading →

the first miracle

The first miracle — and the most important one is this: you are forgiven. This is the first miracle that we get because it is the first miracle we need. We need it more than all the other miracles, even though — if you are needing a miracle right now — it will seem like … Continue reading →

listening journals

My Bible is water and bread and air. There are a lot of things I could live without — ice cream, nice clothes, a bed, confectionery sprinkles — but no Bible? I just don’t want to live in that world. I started reading my Bible regularly at an early age when quantity was in fashion. Reading the … Continue reading →