At Christmas, Christians celebrate the One referred to by the prophets as King of all kings, upon whose shoulders rests the government of the world. Grandchildren are all the reason I need to pray for the future of our country and its leaders and the world and her rulers. I know that the One who …
Where Are You?
“Want to play hide and seek, Thomas?” asked Amelia as she propped her forehead on her hands against the stone column on the front porch. “Yes,” he answered, striding over to take her exact posture on the opposite side of the same column as she began to count. The moms and I looked at each …
Stubborn Older Brother
Not long before he was martyred, Peter wrote, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that God has given us everything we need for living a godly life through the revelation light of Christ, the true and living Word of God. His second epistle reads much like a parent’s passionate appeal to a dear child. …
Out of Darkness
My husband and I rewatch television series from decades ago on dvd, mostly detective shows, on evenings when the house is too quiet. The other evening, he asked if I’d like to start a new season and to be honest, I was so tired and it was so dark outside that I almost said no. …
Slanted Reading
“I want to be in your court,” stated two year old Thomas again flatly. I wasn’t understanding and he was clearly frustrated. His mom and I had taken him to see two sisters, students of mine, play basketball a few weeks before so I assumed he was remembering and wanted to talk about that, but …
Can I Trust You?
My life from age twelve asked, “Can I trust you?” I asked myself this of every human being I encountered, particularly males. Everyone became suspect, even God. I fear I am not alone in my questioning. You have been hurt, have you not? Your trust has been shaken by sickness, circumstance, or sin in the …
The Wrong Side of the Bed
Amelia has never been a great sleeper but at two, her inconsolable acid hours gravitated from evenings to mornings. You just never know whether she will wake all smiles, thoroughly rested and ready for the day or refuse breakfast with wails and sobs that defy consolation. Some mornings she just wakes up on the wrong …
Biting Isn’t For Babies
Toddler silliness can quickly escalate to ugliness. Hitting, pushing, or biting seem to come out of nowhere but if you’re paying attention, it has usually been building gradually toward a crescendo. Either both want to do the same thing or simply don’t want the other to do it. The most recent incident involved opening the …
An Unqualified Yes
On Wednesday, March 24, 2021, five months into my cancer treatment and three-quarters of the way through my chemotherapy, my website, http://www.afittingreply.com went live. I chose the longest possible commitment period- ten years- and paid in advance to secure my website. I committed to posting twice weekly. There have been days like today when I …
No More Wasted Time
When our kids aren’t sleeping or eating appropriately, we look at what’s going on in the moment to try and find a reason. The problem, however, most likely stems from something further back than we tend to look. Maybe they were exposed to a germ last week that has been working against their little systems. …
A Fitting Reply 