Judge Yourselves 

Amelia asked me to write about her and Thomas today. It’s easy to do. At three and four, they supply a rich treasure trove of material from Lolly’s perspective. I delight in seeing them grow and learn and I am grateful for the teachable moments afforded by their visits. I see Amelia watching intently as …

Compelled

“You don’t get in my face, Poppy,” said Amelia. “I have a runny nose.” We had just stood  to join in the congregational hymns and when I hoisted Amelia to my hip, she saw my husband coming down the aisle to take his seat next to me. She immediately lunged for him and as he …

Let The Walls Fall

Amelia stood in the booth next to me singing Jesus Loves Me at the top of her little lungs. We were waiting for our pizza and her power nap in the car and the sugar from her lemonade had officially kicked in. She and Thomas are practicing to sing together during our family lunch following …

Tone of Voice

Disrespect comes in many forms. We’re big on manners in the south. Watch your tone! Don’t take that tone with me! Being called a smart mouth is never a compliment. Our words have a literal meaning but they can also be interpreted differently when spoken in jest or with an emotional tone. We can communicate …

Foot In The Door

Nearly every Sunday for a decade, our younger son, the lone extrovert in a family of introverts, came into worship after Sunday school with one friend or another in tow, asking if he could come over after church. Has your friend asked his parents? No? Then we’ll make a plan for another time. End of …

Pilot Light

I have a very lovely stone fireplace in my home that I never use. It’s not broken. It’s not complicated to use either. There’s a convenient little switch on the wall next to the stonework and if you walk over close enough to peek behind the first log, you’ll see the pilot light flickering day …

Speaking From Experience

James and John were fishermen by trade, the rough and tumble sons of Zebedee. With these two, everything must have been a competition. Jesus chose them to be among his closest followers and nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder.” (Mark 3:17) Even before they were called out by the Christ, these boys must have been pretty …