A Christmas Carol for Sandy Hook

The proximity of the Connecticut tragedy last Friday to Christmas seems to mock the angels' message of peace on earth and good will toward men in Luke 2:14. Yesterday as I sang “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," my mind turned to the senseless deaths of so many and questions that always accompany such evil deeds.

Precious Memories--Places of Grace

Who and what do you remember from your childhood? Adults who influenced and loved you? Kids down the street who played in your yard? Teachers and schoolyards? Birthday parties and sleepovers? Relatives now gone? Friends who tragically died too young?

A childhood friend recently created a Facebook page to record memories from our neighborhood elementary school. The stories being posted take me back to events almost forgotten and people of long ago, the majority of whom have not been a part of my life for decades.

Maybe 30 Gifts?

November is the month of Thanksgiving here in the U.S. when we pause to thank God for his blessings. Rather than focus on being grateful only one day, I plan to thank God for one of his gifts in my life each day this month, centering on one particular blessing. 

If you have read or heard about the premise of 1000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp, you may have been overwhelmed with the idea of reflecting on so many gifts, even wondering if you could think of that many!

Messy Redos

We are in the midst of redoing parts of our kitchen—and what a mess! Now in our third week, we can hardly wait to get everything emptied out of the kitchen cabinets back where it belongs.  Our living and dining rooms are full of dishes, glasses, pots and pans, and cleaning supplies.  Sheets of plastic hang from the ceiling around the kitchen to protect the rest of the house. Despite the best efforts of the workmen, however, there is a layer of dust on everything, and the smell of paint is giving my husband a daily headache.

Why deliberately make such a mess? Fixing problems brought on by time often requires making things seem worse before they get better.

My heart is similar to my kitchen.

Are You a Servant or a Leader?

George Barna’s latest poll of Christian women reveals that 49% characterize themselves as servants while only 36% call themselves leaders. When only one out of every three of us sees herself as a leader, it is no wonder that 75% of us feel that we should be doing more to serve God. We have likely misunderstood the value that God puts on each and every Christ-follower to influence her world.

   

It’s time that women in the church have a radical change of mind about leadership. 

The Spicy Hot Climate

If Texas summers were food, I would call them spicy hot—day after day of temperatures over 100 degrees, little rain, and few clouds. Even the water in swimming pools is too hot to really refresh! Many of our plants are suffering by drooping and dropping their leaves and flowers, but not all of them. Our crepe myrtles are flourishing with abundance blooms. I think God made them for the spicy hot climate.

For what climate did God make you?

The Celebrity Cult

Although they are referred to simply by their first names, everyone knows who they are—Oprah, LeBron, Angelina, Bono, Beyonce, Tiger, Arnold (said with an accent), and many others. The world of technology has created a new religion of celebrity, and the worship is extensive.

I am certainly excited to spot such people in New York or LA; it’s fun to recognize someone seen on the big or little screen. So what’s wrong with that?