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 …
Peace Be Still
I slept through Hurricane Hugo on the couch in my parents’ living room under an open window. A tree fell, missing my car by inches. The wind left our yard strewn with downed limbs and debris but I was completely unaware until morning. To this day, I love a storm. I’m grateful for shelter, of …
Small Talk
Thomas, who is turning one, has discovered whispering. It started with one of his counting books. When I noticed his attention waning by the number four, I whispered that particular rhyme and since then, each time I read or recite this book, he looks to me for the whispered lines. This week, in an attempt …
When My Fears Meet My God
I may have snoozed my alarm more than once this morning. I set it intentionally early so I can be awake before my son, Thomas. He’s an early riser most days and I am not a morning person. When I can be up with my coffee and spend a few minutes with Jesus before Thomas …
Venting
My youngest was the last of my children living at home until his marriage nearly two years ago. Jacob and I became venting partners during those last few years after his sister married and left home. Prior to his brain surgeries for his epilepsy, he didn’t drive and I was his Uber to work and …
In An Instant
Just minutes ago, rain and heavy gray clouded the lake behind my house. Puddles stand on the drive and a seven foot king snake seeks shelter along the stonework under my covered porch. The thunder still rumbles in the distance but suddenly the gray gives way to glorious light. My granny would’ve said that the …
No Matter What
The battle of wills has begun in our house. My son is transitioning from baby to toddler and that means advances in many areas. He crawls and climbs. He’s so close to taking his first steps, and we’re working on communicating with words to get what he wants. He’s grown quite accustomed to simply grunting …
Whose Agenda?
Everyone has an agenda. You do. I do. Ultimately God does. Simply put, an agenda is a plan of things to be done or problems to be addressed. More to the point, it infers underlying intentions or motives. We all have them, even if we don’t recognize or acknowledge them ourselves. The Bible teaches that …
The Power Of Praise
This Sunday’s Devotion written by Caroline R. Bulman, my daughter and mother to my first grandson “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Psalms 122:1 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.122.1.NLT Sunday morning worship has always been a part of my life, whether in person or, more recently, online. …
Stretching
My granddaughter is two weeks old and she’s still adjusting to life outside the womb. Sometimes she rests well when swaddled or curled up on her momma’s chest near her familiar heartbeat. Other times, any sudden movement startles her and sends her little arms flying and she’s constantly stretching her tiny legs to their full …
A Fitting Reply 