Category Archives: food for thought

What kind of person?

Dallas Willard I don’t know about you, but I’d like to be the kind of person who loves like Jesus did. I’d like to act with kindness, to care about another’s spiritual life, and to love sacrificially. How does that look for you, in your life? Here’s how it looked for Jesus. “For God soContinue reading “What kind of person?”

Seeing the Dawn

I wrote this more than 20 years ago, but it’s still relevant today. After an unusually difficult two months—several lingering illnesses that left me constantly fatigued, my father-in-law’s serious stroke, caring for my mother-in-law—I was feeling tired, stressed, and discouraged.  Driving to work, I shed a few tears of self- pity.  As I turned toContinue reading “Seeing the Dawn”

No winter?

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” ~Anne Bradstreet I love these words of Anne Bradstreet. Without the cold and difficulties of winter, would we appreciate spring so much? Or would we just take it forContinue reading “No winter?”

Be Free

When we were young, we thought being free meant we could do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted to do it. For many, it wouldn’t matter if that freedom endangered themselves or someone else. In Galatians, we see a different type of freedom. Freedom not to do our will, to do whatever we want, butContinue reading “Be Free”

Love in Action

“Prayer in action is love, love in action is service.” — Mother Teresa Aren’t we commanded to love our neighbors? To love God and to love others? I love Mother Teresa’s challenge to us. Yes, pray for others. But put those prayers into action. Love others. Serve others. If someone is hungry, pray for them.Continue reading “Love in Action”

Hope and Encouragement

I don’t know about you, but the key word for me in this passage is “patiently.” Sometimes I allow myself to become discouraged because I am not patient. The problem isn’t God, it’s me. God is faithful. God does fulfill his promises. Sometimes we just have to have faith and wait patiently for God’s time.Continue reading “Hope and Encouragement”

Freshly Fallen Snow

Looking out my dining room patio windows, I marvel at the freshly fallen snow.  Overnight a six inch covering of white has blanketed my yard.  Only yesterday the grass was brown and brittle, to all appearances dead.  In the garden, skeletons of summer’s flowers dance, ghostlike in the wintry winds. The dried grass and flowersContinue reading “Freshly Fallen Snow”

Christmas Gifts

Christmas Gifts Christmas is over.  The presents are open and the wrapping paper thrown away.  At our house the “biggest” gift was our new grandson, Simeon, then just six weeks old.  Everyone wanted to hold him, to touch his oh-so-soft skin. We exclaimed over a smile, and the trusting eyes looking at everything, taking itContinue reading “Christmas Gifts”