Category: Faith

I’ve mentioned it before, but I have a tendency to seek perfection.  If you’ve ever been to my house when all my kids are home, and seen the chaos, you may disagree. But in my innermost being I often feel myself striving to be perfect. Or at the very least look like my life is perfect.  But it isn’t. Far from it. I mean it is good. Really good. Better than it should be based on all the mistakes I’ve made in my life, and the places I’ve let sin in.  Still it is good. Good because He is making it good. Continue reading “Purpose over Perfection” →

I started 2018 by choosing the word “begin” as my word of the year.  For weeks I wrote it in Sharpie on the inside of my wrist. But I didn’t actually know where to begin or what to do, and the idea of beginning started to fizzle.  In the summer I chose a new word “chosen” to remind myself that God chose me. Right from the beginning. And that He had plans for me. Continue reading “Word of the Year” →

JOY.  Jesus.  Others. Yourself.  

This week we get to light the third candle.  The pink candle. The JOY candle. I love the joy candle.   

Jesus.  Reading Luke 2:8-20, we are reminded that when the shepherds heard of Jesus’ birth, they ran to the stable.  They ran hard toward Jesus. Toward their Savior. The One who had come to save them. And I want to remember to run hard toward Jesus today and every day.  Not take a gingerly stroll, never in the opposite direction, but actually run hard toward Him. Continue reading “of Comfort and Joy” →

“The LORD gives strength to His people; the LORD blesses His people with peace.”  ~Psalm 29:11

I am a peacemaker by nature, so conflict, busyness, and hurry bring stress to my very being. This is a difficult time of year to stay calm, quiet, and slow. The world says hustle. Bustle.  Hurry. Buy all the things. Experience every experience. Don’t miss a single thing. And then Pinterest and even Instagram are filled with people doing all the things. Seemingly perfectly. One can find lists for everything. An activity for every night in December. Gift lists for him, her, them, kids, old people, neighbors, friends, , in-laws, co-workers.  And honestly I tried all that. Tried to do it all. Except it didn’t make me feel very peaceful. It made me feel stressed. And rushed. And unhappy. Continue reading “Advent PEACE” →

. . . the weary world rejoices

~song lyric, “O Holy Night”

Advent 2018 has begun, and we gather in our home, sitting around the advent wreath and candles.  Waiting. Waiting for Him. Weary and waiting. Hoping. Expecting.

In hoping we wait, we watch, we expect something good to happen.  He expect Him. Just as the world waited hundreds and hundreds of years ago for a Messiah, we too wait for His return. We wait with wonder and expectation. And we celebrate that first arrival. Continue reading “A Thrill of Hope” →

I couldn’t find a single picture of myself without other people in it.  Well, there was one of me in Vegas, from about five years ago. But I’ve used it as my profile picture on Facebook for years.  So I didn’t want to use that for my website and blog. And I kept reading that I needed professional looking pictures. Which sent a bit of a panic through my entire being.  Pose for a photographer?!? But my body doesn’t really look like I want it to look yet. And these pictures would be public. I mean my blog could get like two followers or it could get two million (I can dream).  But people would definitely see me. And some would be people who already love and accept me, but others would be strangers. And strangers are notoriously hard on other strangers on social media. I’ve heard horror stories of strangers picking people’s looks apart.  And I’m already a little sensitive about how I look. Or more accurately how I know I can look better. Could I handle the scrutiny? Could I truly live unmastered? And show my true self? How I look today? Before I get my body into shape? Before I lose those last fifteen stubborn pounds?  Without putting on any extra makeup? Just wear what I wear on a day-to-day basis (eyeliner, and mascara when I’m trying to be fancy)? Just me? Continue reading ““Senior” Portraits” →