Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Some St. Nick Reads
Saturday, December 9, 2023
He Wraps me in Peace
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on
his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Peace on earth, good will to men.
On Christmas Day 1863, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow heard the
bells tolling in Cambridge and penned the poem, I Heard the Bells on Christmas
Day, later set to music by the English organist John Baptiste Calkin in 1872.
Longfellow had lost his wife to a fire and was left with six
children. His heart ached when his oldest son returned from the Civil War with
a gun shot wound. In his sorrow he sought to find hope.
I can’t imagine what life was like during the Civil War for
America, any more than I can fathom the countries who are war torn now. Longfellow’s
heart must have hurt. By 1863, He’d lost two wives, the second leaving him six
children. His son returned home wounded and nearly paralyzed. At that point he
struggled to write his poems, he was the most famous US poet at the time.
When he heard the bells ring out, he grasped on to the hope
they offered him. Hope for better and brighter days.
Christmas is a time of joy, but it can also be a time of
sorrow for many. Jesus wants us to know he came to bring peace to the hearts of
all. Isaiah proclaims Him as the Prince of Peace, the One who can take a broken
heart and restore it to fullness.
I love these glorious lines from the song:
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.”
No matter the circumstances surrounding the holidays or any
days, God is not dead and He’s not asleep. Instead, He holds me in sorrow and
in joy. He loves me and wraps me in comfort and peace.
As you celebrate the birth of Jesus, embrace Him as the
Prince of Peace.
Casting Crowns sings a beautiful version of I Heard the
Bells.
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Great Books to Read With Your Kids this Christmas
Monday, December 4, 2023
Happy Cookie Day!
Saturday, December 2, 2023
Stress or Celebration?
Matthew 1:20-21
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in
a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home
as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She
will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because
he will save his people from their sins.”
Matthew 2:16
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was
furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned
from the Magi.
Stress or celebration?
On Sunday afternoon, I went with Sara, Eli, and Ella Cate to
see the movie Journey to Bethlehem. The movie is a musical, so I wasn’t
sure what to expect. What I found was a fresh retelling of the birth of Jesus.
Yes, they took some creative liberties, but what I carried away from the movie
and thought about this week were two important messages.
King Herod was evil and so threatened by the thought of a
new king being born, he would go to the worst measure to get rid of the baby.
My heart broke for this man who, so full of pride and greed, would dive into
the depths of darkness to keep his crown.
The truth is, Jesus didn’t come to rule nations or dethrone
anyone. He came to rule the hearts of people. To spread love and offer hope. A
hope Herod never knew.
The second was the effect Mary’s pregnancy had on her family
and Joseph’s. We read of how Joseph said he would break the betrothal to Mary
quietly. Even still, Mary carried baby Jesus.
I have great respect for Joseph. Not just because he stepped
up and married Mary, but because of his faith in God. He trusted the One who
created him and carried out His plan in obedience.
When faced with a difficult circumstance or conflict, what
do I do? React like Herod and lash out? Or pray like Joseph and obey God?
As I consider the celebration of Christmas and the stress placed
on us to have everything perfect, I remember Mary and Joseph and their not so
perfect circumstances and know God doesn’t expect me to have a flawless holiday.
He only wants me to be obedient and have faith like Joseph and Mary and share
the love of Jesus.
How about you? Will Jesus’ love shine through your Christmas
celebration?
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
One of the Best Gifts
Saturday, November 25, 2023
He Stays the Same
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
The times they are a-changin.’ --Bob Dylan
When my girls were young and they stayed home from school
due to illness, if they felt like it, we sometimes played games like Old Maid,
Candyland, or Go Fish. We would deal the cards or set up the board and play
until they were ready to rest.
The older I get, it seems like life changes at lightning
speed. Perhaps because I can look back and see the history I’ve lived, yet one
thing has never changed.
Jesus remains the same no matter how many years pass. He
continues to share His love. There are days I think He should walk away from me
because I’m a lowly human, instead He stays with me through the valleys and the
peaks. He opens His arms and welcomes me in. He sees value in me and never
leaves me.
He loves you, too. His arms are open to everyone. He loves
like no other. He’ll be there through the best and the worst.
I love this song by Matthew West, The God Who Stays.
I hope you’ll take a listen.
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Thankful for Books
Saturday, November 18, 2023
He Journeys With Me
Genesis 24:42
When I came to the spring today, I said, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, if
you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come.”
Who is on your journey?
The other day, Tim and I took a road trip. We traveled to three
bookstores in the Cincinnati area. The first stop we made was to a little shop
in Madeira. The owner had kindly kept my books on the shelf for several months,
a few had sold, but she was ready to return the others to me. After we picked
those up, Tim drove to Mason, and I visited the lovely Belong Christian
Bookstore. In case you aren’t aware, Christian bookstores are few these days. I
chatted with the owner and showed her my books, with hope of a possible
connection in the future. On our last stop, I browsed a Barnes & Noble,
found a few stocking stuffers, and discovered they only do author events every
six months or so. Some might say I didn’t have success promoting my books, but
I made connections.
On the drive, Tim and I noticed a semi on the highway with the
word JOURNEY imprinted on the side. That got me to thinking. Who travels on my
journeys with me? On our trip, Tim and Rosie (she loves to ride) were in the
Jeep with me, and the Holy Spirit buckled up and rode shotgun. The Holy Spirit
led us to Belong Bookstore at the exact time the owner stood behind the
counter. Due to illness, she isn’t there often. I’m thankful for the
opportunity to meet her and talk about my books, and I call that success.
In Genesis, Abraham asked his head servant to travel back to
Abraham’s homeland to find his son, Isaac, a wife. Concerned he might fail, the
servant turns to the One who brings him hope. He asked the Lord to grant
success on the journey. I love the servant took God on the journey with him, and
if you read the rest of the story, he found Isaac a wife, the beautiful Rebekah.
When I travel through this life, I want God with me. The
Holy Spirit dwells with me day and night, and I know on my journeys, He stays by
my side.
Who goes with you on your journey? Have you asked God to
join you?
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
A Wonderful Place to Be
Saturday, November 11, 2023
Full of Light
Matthew 6:22-23
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your
whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are
unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light
within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
Open my eyes, that I may see
glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
place in my hand the wonderful key
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, ears, and heart,
illumine me, Spirit divine!
Even though my second cataract surgery is complete, I won’t
know for three to four more weeks if I need to wear glasses again. Although my
vision is clearer, and I can mostly read my laptop and phone, I need readers for
the smaller print. My distance vision is much better in my left eye, but due to
an astigmatism in my right eye, I still have blurriness. So, I wait.
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus spoke about how important
the eyes are. When they’re healthy, they let in the light. By healthy, Jesus is
referring to spiritual health.
At times, the brokenness of this world paralyzes me. I want
to hide away from the darkness and tragedy, the unfairness and constant
bombardment of distraction from God. But because Jesus’ light shines into my
life, I can face every day and be a light for Him. As a believer, I’m fighting
back against the darkness. Through my sight I see His lantern glowing brighter.
When I was young, our church sang Open my Eyes, an old hymn written
by Clara H. Scott. I love the stanza that asks the Spirit to “illumine me.” The
Holy Spirit walks with me each day and opens my eyes to what Jesus wants me to
see and do. I pray the light always fills my soul.
Seek Jesus’ light. He will guide the way.
Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Streets of Gold
Monday, November 6, 2023
Home for Christmas, An Abbott Island Story, is part of the collection of four stories in Christmas in Ohio
After Levi Swenson and Charlotte Mercer share months of promising texts and phone calls, Charlotte returns to Abbott Island for Christmas with her family. Will her dysfunctional family scare Levi away or will he and Charlotte meet under the mistletoe?
The four stories on these pages go from a search for a missing painting to a reunion of lost loves, a shattered family rejoined, and promises kept. From a stolen treasure to secrets revealed, healed hearts and glass hearts, and second chances at love.
Saturday, November 4, 2023
A Reminder
2
Corinthians 13:14
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
The other
day, I walked Rosie on the little hill behind our condo. Vibrant, red leaves
tumbled to the ground from the maple tree. I’m not sure why my mind works the
way it does, but I stopped and grouped three of the beautiful red leaves
together to take a photo. They reminded me of the trinity—God, the father—Jesus, the son—and the Holy Spirit.
I imagine
God knew I could use a reminder of who He is, for He is not a God of
randomness. He’s a God of order and plans. There is no such thing as
coincidence with Him.
He has
mapped out what I would need in this fallen, broken world. First, I need God.
He’s the love and hope of life. The one who protects and guards my heart. Second,
I need Jesus. He’s grace. The One who covers my sins with His blood. He’s the
son of God who took the sorrow and sadness of the world on His shoulders. Third,
I need the Holy Spirit, the one who fellowships with me. He hangs out with me
on a daily basis. He communicates with God when I can’t and guides me as I seek
help.
I love God,
Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and thank the Lord for His work in my life. I can’t
think of a better way to begin November than with a grateful heart for the One
who created me, redeemed me, and fills me with His joy and peace.
Let’s spend
this month thanking and praising the One who loves us more than we understand.
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
November
November calm
infiltrates the forest.
One last leaf releases
and drizzles to the ground.
Rest blankets the floor.
Saturday, October 28, 2023
One More Time
Philemon
1:4-7
I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because
I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord
Jesus. I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective
in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of
Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because
you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.
Have you ever wanted to sit with someone one more time?
The older I
get, the more I realize I may not get to see people one more time. Over the
last several years, friends and family have moved from broken bodies on this
earth to perfect, healthy bodies in heaven. I’m rejoicing for them, and I’m
missing them.
The other
day, Tim and I took Rosie to a park to walk. I’d been sick a few days before,
so I stayed in the car, still tired from the bout of illness. I watched them
walk a circular path, then my sight landed on a blue swing with a beautiful
backdrop. Gold and orange trees stood at attention behind the colorful swing. I
thought, what if I could sit on that swing and talk to anyone I wanted to? Of
course, I would sit with Tim and chat about the day. I could take any of our
grandkids or kids and their spouses. Perhaps a friend or two would come by and
we’d laugh and talk. Then I thought—what if I could bring anyone back and
talk to them about heaven—wouldn’t that be a glorious
conversation? They could tell me about the incredible worship and praise of God
and conversations with Jesus.
Since that’s not possible, I had another thought. Wouldn’t that be a lovely place to sit and talk to God? A place to pray for my loved ones and readers. A place to appreciate the beautiful fall weather and thank God for His provision and remember those we’ve loved who have passed. It’s good to sit and thank the Lord for the people He has placed in my life.
I hope as I remember you, you
know you give me great joy and encouragement.
Do you have
a favorite place to ponder and pray?
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Celebrating Fall
Saturday, October 21, 2023
Listen for the Voice of Truth
Psalm 25: 4-5
Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and
teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
The Playhouse Square in Cleveland sparkled.
A chandelier draped the middle of the street between the playhouses, theatres, and eateries. On a sign overtop the Keybank State Theatre a picture of the music group Casting Crowns greeted us. Tim and I will be celebrating 31 years of marriage on October 31. We planned an early celebration that included the twenty-year tour concert of Casting Crowns.
God’s fingerprints were all over their twenty-year
story. Mark Hall, the lead singer in the group is a youth pastor. He used music
to get his kids to read their Bibles. Mark is dyslexic and has an attention deficit,
yet God filled him with a desire to reach youth and adults with his humble
beginnings in the music world.
Casting Crowns has not wavered from God’s truth
in their twenty years of fame. Their songs speak straight to the heart. Tim and
I were both blessed by their testimony and their music. Enhanced by a symphony
of violins, their words resonated through the crowd. We lifted our hands and
voices with them and praised God.
My favorite song they sing is Voice of Truth.
So many voices call out to us every day. Social media, the news, people around
us, fear, and so much more. The Bible teaches us to discern the voices by
weighing them against God’s word and whether they acknowledge Jesus. (1 John 4:1-3)
The psalmist calls to God to show him God’s ways
and guide him in His truth. In this world of constant attention grabbing by
outside voices, seek God’s voice and truth and teach your children to listen
for God.
Celebrate Jesus and His truth.
Wednesday, October 18, 2023
A Kindness Shared
Saturday, October 14, 2023
Don't Navigate the Hard Days Alone
Psalm 18:2
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is
my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my
stronghold.
2 Timothy 1:7
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,
but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Don't let the hard days win.
I'm in the middle of cataract removal surgeries. About a
week ago, the eye surgeon sucked the cloudy lens out of my right eye. Then he
placed a new artificial lens in so my vision would improve. The left eye will
be corrected soon, but in the meantime, I'm in limbo. The right eye has an
astigmatism. Which means, my eyeball is shaped like a football instead of a volleyball.
Most of the time, people who have lenses replaced for cataracts have clearer
vision in about two days. Not me. Nope. My football shaped eye is better—I
can see clear colors instead of a yellowish cast, but I can't see as well as I
can out of my left eye that still has a cataract. The eye doctor did his job,
but my eye didn't cooperate. So between now and the time my left eye is fixed,
the one shaped like a volleyball, I can't wear my glasses. Once my eyes work
together again, I'll get a new prescription.
I've adapted by using readers and thankfully my left eye can
see distance, but working on the computer and reading are hard. My eyes hurt by
evening and I often have a headache. I'm managing, but I could throw up my
hands and quit until the left eye is corrected. Instead, I'm leaning into God
to help me through this trying time.
Of course, my situation isn't the end of the world, and it
should be better by November, but there have been dark times in my life when I
couldn't see the end. I felt helpless and disheartened, but you know what? God stood
by me and protected me. He always does. God has gifted His people with the Holy
Spirit, who gives us power, love, and self-disciple. Those are the things that
have helped me through dark days, along with my family and friends.
Don't let the hard days win and don't try to navigate them alone. Give them to Jesus and trust Him to send help.