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 …
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 …
Priceless – The Value of Knowing Christ
When you invite your mom to visit for the day and you offer to write a blog post for her - priceless! My 11-month old son, Thomas, is becoming more and more mobile every day. He can crawl across our living room faster than I can get up from the floor and climbing the stairs …
Addlepated
I stood in my kitchen, frozen, unable to pinpoint the reason I’d walked so deliberately from the other room. I looked around then retraced my steps. Nothing. Something I’d been reading triggered a thought with purpose and intention and I’d acted on it immediately, not wanting to forget. Did I need to add an item …
Reality Filtered
Photo by Ashley Goodlett The community grocery store near our first home had an automated coin sorting machine the size of a smart car. My husband took our children there periodically to cash in the pocket change he’d saved up for special adventures. The kids loved the clanking and flashing that followed their upturned paper …
Love Enabled
How can you love someone you’ve never met so very much? Our first granddaughter is making her way into the world as I write and though I’ve watched her momma’s belly expand and I’ve felt her move and seen ultrasound peeks, I can only imagine what she’ll look and act like once she arrives. Her …
Amen!
Amen! I use it daily as an affirmation when I strongly agree with a social media post or comment and to close my prayers and blessings over meals, but its meaning is far more rich. As a term of determination or resignation, “so be it” says so much more than yes or okay. There is …
Are You Coming To The Wedding?
The steady gentle breeze was a touch of heaven following the heat wave of the week leading up to the ceremony. Our friends couldn’t have custom-ordered a more picture perfect day for their son’s wedding. The landscaping was immaculate. We would never have guessed the pristine sidewalks were under construction earlier in the week had …
Over The Top
My portacath was the last visible sign of my cancer treatment. Radiation acted on my internal organs in a way I’ll never see with my eyes. Chemotherapy traveling through my bloodstream accessed every cell in my body, targeting stray cancer cells wherever they tried to hide. Multiple scars on my abdomen are visual reminders of …
A Fitting Reply 