Christmas, Oh Christmas! This season and holiday has a way of bringing about a whirlwind of emotions, a broad spectrum of thoughts, and a variety of things to do. Let’s bring ourselves back to the roots of the reason for this season and take a look at Christmas through a different lens. For me, I always try to think of different aspects of Christmas and the full scope of what the birth of Jesus involved. It wasn’t just Joseph and…..
William Shakespeare quoted, “All that glitters is not gold.” I must admit, I am one of those that like things that sparkle and shine. I would be one to quickly snatch up a shiny gold rock and closely examine it to see if it could possibly be real. Also, I love dazzling diamonds (even if they are not real) and sequins on dresses and purses that shimmer in the light. I think the snow sparkling in the moonlight and from…..
Christmas is always such a special time of year. Beautiful decorated trees, lights, garland, tinsel. Then, of course, there is the mistletoe, presents, Christmas Cards. And we cannot forget baking Christmas Cookies and spending time with family and friends. Along with that special feeling of giving, sharing, and love. Most importantly, it is a time to celebrate Jesus and His birth. The “reason” for the season … coming to earth for the sole purpose of dying on the cross to…..
Last year was quite the year, wasn’t it? It seemed like total chaos, with one hit after the after … Riots, Covid-19, masks, elections, home schooling, self-isolating, working from home, job losses, etc. It seemed like craziness and uncertainty had impacted almost everyone world-wide in one way or another. This year, we continue to have … Riots, Covid-19, vaccinations, masks, results of elections, homeschooling, self-isolating, working from home, job losses, etc. Many are worrying about their futures and uncertain at…..
We all travel down different roads in life. Sometimes the road is smooth and sometimes the road is rocky and rough. Some are an uphill climb while others seem like a long, steep downhill slide. Some roads we encounter are littered with never-ending potholes we continually have to swerve around. No matter what road we are experiencing on our individual journeys through life, one thing we do know is that navigating the easy, smooth roads can be just as fleeting…..
In going about my daily life, I often result to going to Facebook to scroll about and see what others are doing, saying, posting, feeling, and the like. It can be what I believe to be a real “time suck,” but oftentimes I find what a beautifully placed platform it is not only to check in with what others are doing and connecting with them, but also to share one’s feelings! It really is such a wonderful freedom to be…..
Times right now seem scary and uncertain to many around the world. A time that we have never really experienced before……working from home rather than our usual off-site office; self quarantining from others, not venturing out unless we have to; seeing shortages of paper and food supplies at the store when we do dare venture out; so many getting ill and many dying from a dangerous virus that is impacting the whole world. There is sickness, pain, and loss……loss of…..
There’s something heart-wrenching about the passing of a loved one. A dear long-time friend of mine passed away last year. To me, her passing was unexpected in the fact that I did not know she had stage-four pancreatic cancer and only found out about a month prior to her passing. She said she didn’t want anyone to know. I was attempting to get together with her for lunch, but by the time we were at a place to meet up,…..
Baptism. What is it? Does it create fear? Do we want to publicly get drenched while trying to push aside any fear of going under in the water, and then coming up gasping for air with wet hair and everyone looking at us? Many of us have these fears. But, wait! … God tells us it’s important, and it reflects to others that we are turning over a new leaf, giving our life to God, symbolically washing away our sin,…..
I felt strongly about blogging this morning about a direction that I was going and a decision that had to be made, when it completely got turned around by my listening to the Holy Spirit’s “still small voice.” When a recent decision I had made seemed like a good one at the time, someone said something to me that, internally, a red flag went up. It was subtle, but it was there. Then, a couple of days later, as I…..