What did you do today? When our children were young (many years ago 😊), Black Friday meant getting up veeerryy. early, with a list of stores and the best specials to be found. Then, along with thousands of other early shoppers, stand in line, in the cold, to get the perfect gift at the perfect…

How are you feeling today? Even if you are among family or friends, how is your heart? The days leading up to Thanksgiving through nearly Valentine’s Day can be more difficult than others if you have lost a loved one. There’s no easy solution because no two people grieve the same. However, below are just…

Wow! Did you ever think about happiness and gratefulness—and how they are connected? One affects the other in ways beyond our understanding. When we are grateful for whatever we have (even people or problems in our lives) our happiness becomes greater. Today, tomorrow, each day, even if we find ourselves alone, or grieving a loss,…

How is it going? Yesterday I suggested making a list of your “top ten” reasons to give thanks. Did you realize by sending forth to God even short, “Thank you God for the dirty dishes in my sink (probably not on your top ten list, but it could be 😊)” you pleased God? Sometimes we…

Is this week looking beyond busy for you? Would you like to add some joy and more gratefulness into each day? Here’s a suggestion for something you can do to make this week extraordinary! Take a few minutes and write down ten things for which you are most grateful. I suggest you don’t just think…

Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With people it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Impossible tasks. What is something you had to do you began by saying to yourself, “This is impossible? No way? Can’t be done?”  While I was in seminary, I broke my leg. In and of…

Isaiah 55:8 the Lord says, “My thoughts are not like your thoughts. Your ways are not like my ways.” Have you read about the walls of Jericho collapsing, or all the plagues the Egyptians experienced? Or, how about God’s promise in the Old Testament he would send a Messiah? Few people expected a Messiah like…

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Hebrews 4:16 I don’t know about you, but I have trouble being bold. I’m an introvert, people pleasing, argument avoiding, trouble averting person. Hopefully…

Rev 21:3-5  Look! Jesus lives among us. Everything is new. The old ways are gone. He brings new life. New life. How many of us wish we could go back and change the decisions we made or actions we took? While it is said we learn from our mistakes, there are mistakes many of us…

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. How many of us just want time to find rest; not rest of sleep (although that may be good also!) but rest for our souls? Life sends struggles our way. Our minds have difficulty “shutting down.” Some…