My husband and I have a ritual every Spring and Fall season. We change out our wardrobes by transferring cool- or warm-weather clothing from our closet to several plastic crates. Weather-appropriate clothing is kept in closets as necessary during that season only; others are saved in the attic for later. I’ve noticed the same type of procedure with…
Kids today are exposed to a lot of not-so-reality romance-driven TV shows and movies. And despite the backward way many of those relationships are portrayed through secular media outlets, there is something special to this thing we call love! In fact, the Bible mentions the word love close to 500 times. We read in 1 John 4:8 that God is love! And in John…
Taking short glances back in life are one thing, but remaining in past occurrences—often filled with discontentment and sorrow—can become detrimental to one’s future outlook.” Regretful points to ponder Regrets leave us feeling stuck—or heartsick—over the past. I know I’m in regret when I consistently think, It shouldn’t have been this way! Regrets might be about my…
How can I say thanks . . . for the things You have done for me? Things SO undeserved . . . yet You gave to prove Your love for me. The voices of a million angels . . . could not express my gratitude. All that I am and ever…
Despite what we’ve experienced in our world this year, there is still so much for which to be grateful! Eyesight, to read this post. Hearing, to enjoy laughter around us. Taste, to savor delicious treats of this season. So, with the many blessings that saturate us each day, why do many of us criticize rather than express gratitude…
We all have bad days. But seems like some people breeze through them better than others. So, what’s the secret to their success? I posed this question on social media to see how others handle life when things don’t go so well. I quickly received several responses, such as: Talking with a trusted friend Changing…
What do you focus on throughout your day? Research by Harvard Medical School shows that keeping a positive mindset—one bent toward thankfulness—does wonders for us in so many ways! So, what are you grateful for? My friend, Lisa, recently told me that she makes a practice of giving praise (thanks) to God for one aspect of…
You might feel like this week has been one of those worst-case situations, shutting down your normal operating agenda. The winter storm that has swept over the whole USA this week certainly fits in this category of difficult-to-manage for many of us. But we’ve been having to live by Plan B for some time now.…
God never promised us an easy life without discouragement. In fact, the Bible reminds us in John 16:33 that “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” This passage tells us that God knows the difficulties we’re facing, but has a plan for helping us get through them with His power! To stand…
At the end of difficult days—and this challenging year, it’s easy to remember what has been lost. But how about considering all that was gained? No, I’m not talking about the “pandemic pounds” we may have added to the scale during our weeks of lock-down and isolation. Rather, what good has come over the past…