KEPT

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3 The greatest blessings come to us when they are not being sought. After all, mankind’s fallen nature seeks that which is pleasing to the flesh, that which the world deems of…

The Upside

Every circumstance presents a downside and an upside. And every individual has a choice, often – a tendency, to focus on one or the other in the midst of uncertainty. I believe this tendency goes beyond simply labeling folks an optimist or a pessimist. Mankind and life are both complex,…

HOPE

Isn’t spring the best? It is a natural picture of hope. After months of gray skies, naked trees, dormant grasses and wildflowers, spring reintroduces life. Out of the seemingly dead ground, sprouts of life remind us that all is not lost. Having already harvested the first blooms from our yard,…

No Shame

We chose to play a card game during the halftime show of the Super Bowl. Based on past performances, we knew the content would not be worth watching. But numerous clips of the act have surfaced, and comments abound. Avoiding the ugliness is next to impossible. When I hear terms…

Holiday Fusion

As a child, Christmases on our Nebraska farm were meager in terms of gift giving. One year my gift was a pillow, and I was thrilled! Sometimes that special box contained a pair of socks. But Christmases were always rich in love and a special sort of magic. The magic…

Getting Nowhere

When our daughters were small, an incident occurred which pleased me immensely. And now, over 25 years later, I am occasionally reminded of this sweet, pivotal moment of truth. Melissa was two. As I worked at the kitchen sink, she walked into the kitchen whining like an ambulance. I turned…

A Precious Gem

Heartache happens. It happens to all. It’s always inconvenient. It’s often unfair, or seemingly so. It can be crippling for a time. Heartache has a salve. That salve is a precious gem, a rare find that comes only through walking ever so closely with the One in Whom all things…

Legacy Leaver

May 25th would have been her 95th birthday. Happy birthday, Mom. I think often of her final days in palliative care. I remember being bedside, holding her hand, and feeling her breath on my face. I cherished that closeness, knowing it was a privilege for which I would one day…

Happy Lord’s Day!

Frankly, the miracle took us both by surprise. It shouldn’t have, since we had both walked with the Lord for nearly 13 years. We knew His compassion and capabilities. But we had prepared our hearts for the worse-case scenario, a protective mode of course. After all, our desires don’t always…
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