The Christmas season can be difficult for lots of reasons. For those who are struggling, I share “A Christmas Prayer,” by Dorothy Hsu: “It’s Christmas, Lord, the Season to be jolly and all that. But some of us are not so jolly. It’s time for families to be together, time to sing ‘I’ll be home…
Sisters are the best! This past weekend I traveled back “home” for my niece’s bridal shower. Prior to going south my sister Julie, aka “Jules”, invited me to stay with her if I was planning to stay the night. My original plan was to make the trip in one day, but who can turn…
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching – a time when we turn again to the One from whom “all our blessings flow.” More than any other holiday, thanksgiving asks us to look inward, because real gratitude is not dependent on our circumstances, but on our attitude. My favorite Thanksgiving reading comes from the poet Henry Ward Beecher,…
A few years ago, I discovered I’m sensitive to shellfish. Not allergic, as in hives and wheezing. Instead, I get violently ill. I remember the night well. Because of a few incidents I’d had with shrimp in the past I suspected I might have an issue. But when that big, delicious lobster was put in…
Last month, I had the honor to join the 5th-8th grade youth groups at the Grand Theater to hear Former American Idol contestant, Dave Pitmann in concert. Dave wrote the song Crazy Brave after he went to audition for season 9 of American Idol. He shares that we have a purpose to step out of…
In the Christian Church, we don’t believe in using creeds as a requirement for membership. However, we do have a beautiful statement of faith. Adopted in 1968, the Preamble of the Design reads: “As members of the Christian Church, we confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and proclaim him…
Last week a prominent theologian was asked to offer a two word opinion of the preacher Beth Moore. And in response, he said “Go Home.” This is enough to get me a bit worked up. But Moore responded with compassion and grace, saying her calling is not to man, but to God. We here…
The fact is… we can’t change anyone but ourselves. The Good News, however, is that when we do allow God to transform us – it has a significant impact on the people around us. In something called “Family System Theory,” it’s been shown that when one part of a system gets healthy, ultimately the whole…
Lately, refinishing doors has been my project. I have been sanding to remove varnish but leaving the stain and adding new polyurethane. After sanding the first door, it looked damaged beyond repair. I reluctantly went to my husband to admit my error. He walked out of the room, got a rag and some water, and…
This week, I’m preparing a sermon on a story from Exodus in which God’s people grumble about their circumstances. We’ll be exploring the world’s resistance (and our own) to God’s call to trust and faith. I ran across a funny story about a lawyer, a doctor, and a preacher who went deer hunting together. The…