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January 2, 2020 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ~Luke 19:1 What does that statement say to you? I looked at several translations of scripture. I looked at the meaning of the Greek words. And the only interpretation I can find is that Jesus was passing through Jericho. On His way from point A to point B, He had to pass through. No intention of tarrying or spending time there. Just passing through. It may be interesting to note that "point B" was Jerusalem. Jesus was ultimately on His way to the cross. So this was an important journey He was taking through Jericho - for it would lead to our salvation. Thus, one would expect that this "passing through" also came with some level of hastiness. How surprising, then, to get to verse 5 and hear Jesus say to a short tax collector who had climbed a tree to get a glimpse of Him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." Wait. What??? Jesus, I thought You were just passing t...

November 13, 2019 Well, the letter finally arrived. The letter, that is, from Michigan Tech University - for which my son has been anxiously waiting. Annnnnnd, looks like my boy is going to be a Husky! Now Matthew is busy learning about housing options, researching campus life, and dreaming about the future. I am in one moment proud, and excited to see him growing and pursuing new things. And in the next moment I am full of sentimentality - wanting to keep holding on to my baby boy, not feeling ready to embrace this soon-to-be-empty nest. (Especially as I sat through a child dedication ceremony at church Sunday morning. The memory of standing on the platform the day we dedicated Matthew to the LORD seemed so very recent. *sigh*) Maybe that's why I found myself re-dedicating him in my heart. Thinking about him on the brink of adulthood, making more of his own decisions (Though I love when he comes to Brian and me for advice!), doing more of his own things - I still pray that God wi...

September 27, 2019 One Saturday during last July I had precious interactions with a young boy who was having lunch at Chick-fil-A with his mother and brothers. And since that day I have thought of Connor many times, wondering if our paths might cross again sometime while I'm at work. Hoping they would. Realizing they may not. But then there was last Friday. I was stationed at the register closest to the entrance and was doing my best to make myself visable to the folks at the front of the line - all the way at the other end of the counter. That is to say, the entrance to my left and the front of the line to my right, I was not paying a lot of attention to my left side. Until I heard a small voice coming from that direction saying, "Karen???" And when I turned to see who was calling my name, there he was. Recognizing my young friend I said, "Connor???" He smiled. Then I loooked at the woman in front of me and asked, "Will you excuse me very quickly, please?...

August 6, 2019 I remember when my children were babies and we had frequent back-and-forth moments when they cried to be picked up, then - after what felt like mere seconds in my arms - they wiggled and cried because they wanted to be put back down. Up and down. Up and down. Finally, with a sense of exasperation, I would say, "Child! Do you want to be up or down???" Then they turned into toddlers who would grunt and point at objects which I would pick up and put into their pudgy little hands. In the blink of an eye that toddler would throw the desired object onto the floor, and grunt and point. So I'd retrieve it again and give it back, only to watch it be thrown down again. And, surely, the grunts would follow. Eventually I got tired of the game and I would ask, "Alright. Do you want it, or not?" When they became small children with more autonomy I was cut out of the game, but the yo-yo nature of things continued. However, this time the offense was the slammi...

July 25, 2019 Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! ~Psalm 66:20 OK, here it is. The reason I am so enamored with this verse, and the psalm, and ultimately the GOD behind it all. Because He could have! God could have rejected the prayer of the psalmist, and He could have withheld His love. God was in no way obligated to turn toward the psalmist in mercy. Nor is He indebted to us. God did not have to forgive the sin spoken of in v.18. He wasn't forced to give ear to the psalmist's cries, or to pay attention to his praise. God could have turned aside His holy head and completely ignored him. He could have. But HE didn't. The perfect love of God compels HIM to show kindness to everyone who surrenders to Him. And it is that lovingkindness upon which I want to focus in our study today. The word love in Psalm 66:20 comes from the Hebrew word checed and, as used in this verse, it refers specifically to "lovingk...

July 23, 2019 So, the other day I made a quick stop at the store on my way home from work. (Just had to pick up a few things.) When I got home I guess I made some noise as I set the bag and my purse on the counter - because Matthew came jogging into the kitchen where I was standing, taking the few items out of said bag. I looked up, a bit startled by his sudden appearance, and saw an equally confused look on his face. He must have made a quick assessment of the scene and determined that I didn't need any help because he said, "Oh, you don't have more bags to bring in?" At which point the light went on for me, and I understood Matthew's actions. For many years I have tried to instill in my kids a mind-set for service. Such as, when I get home from grocery shopping it is thoughtful, kind, appropriate, and courteous for them to help unload the van. But sometimes when I come home from the store Matthew is in his room and doesn't hear me enter, thus I unload all ...

June 21, 2019 So Monday I was at work - making eye contact, smiling at guests, speaking enthusiastically, and making connections. I was moving as quickly as I could while still doing my best to not rush people or make them feel pressured. My recollection is that I was even being successful in order accuracy and efficiency. From the outside, I imagine everything looked splendid. But I knew it wasn't. That is, on the inside of me I didn't feel enthusiastic. The words I spoke came at the expense of a whole lot of effort. The smiles weren't necessarily sincere. And I frequently found myself glancing at the clock to see how much longer I had to work. I couldn't put my finger on any one thing which was causing me to feel this way. It just seemed like I was in a funk, and I wanted nothing more than to get out of it. Then something wonderful happened. A woman came to my register and ordered a salad. Nothing else. Just a salad. Which totaled $8.89. The majority of people pay w...

May 24, 2019 Oh, the stories I could tell about the faithfulness of GOD. *peaceful, grateful, delighted sigh* See, the thing is, I had a rough day at work earlier this week. OK. Maybe I'm being too extreme when I say it was "rough". The truth is, it just wasn't "great" like they usually are. For starters, it was cold and rainy, and being in the drive-thru window was a little miserable. (PSA: When you're at the window of a drive-thru and it's raining, go ahead and turn off your wipers. Otherwise they *might* repeatedly flick water on the drive-thru attendant and even splash his/her glasses. Just sayin' .) At one point, I handed the wrong drink to a guest and realized my mistake too late. I felt terrible, she was not happy, and my apology seemed to be meaningless to her. As the day went on - try as I might - it was just difficult to feel sincere in my enthusiasm. Ya know? So the next morning as I drove to work I was praying. Asking my Father to h...

March 5, 2019 So, I prayed and I prayed and I prayed. I believed God was listening. I trusted that He was able to do all things, and move in a mighty way. I asked Him to do just that. All for HIS glory. And I was sure HE could. But He didn't. Have you ever found yourself in that scenario? One in which you think you're fully trusting God, totally relying on His power to come through in a particular circumstance, completely surrendered to His perfect will? (Because you're equally certain that His will is in line with yours!) But when all is said and done - when the dust settles and the smoke clears - you discover that God didn't answer a single prayer the way you asked. And you wonder what on earth (or in heaven!) happened? Because as far as you can see at the moment, the only reasonable explanation is that God doesn't care. I have a friend sitting in this position today, and it has me asking, What do we do when God's answer to our heart-wrenching prayers is no...

February 15, 2019 OK, this study of Ezekiel has been filling me. Sometimes with urges to warn. And concern for the state of the nation's heart. Sometimes with solemn recognition of my own propensity to fall. And now? Now it fills me with a beautiful glimmer of HOPE. That is, I just finished studying chapter 20. And although it begins with a bit of a harsh tone as the LORD denies the request of an inquiry by Israel's elders - and as He goes on to detail their history of rebellion, and His wrath and judgement - it finishes with a marvelous hope. Through Ezekiel, God relays the account of Israel's rebellion. HE recounts His own display of wrath, poured out for His Name's sake - that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations. Then HE speaks to those who have come to inquire of Him and tells them that HE will be king over them. God tells them about His plan to bring the people back from the lands where they are scatterd, into the wilderness where He will enter i...

January 22, 2019 14 But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me. ~Psalm 31:14-15 OK, I haven't done any background checking, so I do not know what was going on in David's life when he wrote Psalm 31. But one read through it and you'll know - things were not good for David at this point in time. Honestly, would you use words like anguish, sorrow, grief, distress, groaning, affliction, and contempt to describe your circumstances - if all was well with them? Happily, in that regard I cannot say I relate to this psalm. However, God's Truth goes far beyond identical circumstances into the minute details of each of our lives. And because of His all-encompassing Truth, I can say I relate to this psalm. Specifically, the verse quoted above. What I mean is, I was coming into this week rather harried. I've so much to do, and I didn't see how I was g...

August 28, 2018 Adventuring. I thought I might have just made up that word, but a quick check with Google indicates "adventuring" is a legitimate word. In fact, I found this definition for it: the act of doing adventurous things or having adventures . And that (doing adventurous things and having adventures) is precisely the act I was trying to describe with the word I "created". #win Because I wanted to tell you about this: I took this picture Saturday evening of my sweet adventurer and her willing daddy. What you can't see from this angle are the maps they're consulting in an effort to plan their biking route from Okemos to Holland. Yes, you read that correctly. They were sitting on the swing planning a route to bike from our home to Brian's mom's home. With a stop at his brother's on the way. That is, yesterday they left our house on bikes at 7am and rode to Grand Rapids. And today they're making the rest of the trip to Holland. (I...

August 9, 2018 I heard a funny story several years ago - which I think I enjoyed so much because of how true it is. It goes like this: There was a job to do, and four people available to do it. Their names were Anybody, Everybody, Somebody, and Nobody. Anybody could have done the job and Everybody thought Somebody took care of it. But, actually, Nobody did the work. And in the end - Everybody was mad at Somebody, because Nobody did what Anybody could have. Are you recalling times these four people have gotten involved in the jobs around your home??? Ohhhh, they came over to my place yesterday, and I was so ready to be Everybody. Know what I mean? I walked into the kitchen in the morning and saw that the dishes hadn't been done Tuesday night. And, OK, we didn't eat dinner as a family because Brian and I went out for our anniversary - so I know activities didn't feel "normal". But we all used dishes throughout the day, and they weren't going to "do...

July 17, 2018 So yesterday morning I was getting ready to do laundry and I checked in with Matthew to see if he had any. I knocked on his door, heard some sort of groan, and opened the door. He was still in bed, and his hamper was empty (But there were clothes all over the floor...) so I told him I was about to do laundry - and invited him to bring any clothes downstairs which he wanted to be washed. I proceeded to sort the laundry and put a load in the washer and took care of a couple other tasks which needed completing. And moments later Matthew and I crossed paths in the kitchen. Our conversation went like this: Matthew: I took my dirty clothes downstairs. Me: OK. Did you sort them into the loads I had already made? Matthew: Yep. I did that. Me: Great. Thanks. Matthew: You're welcome. Oh, that'll be $5. Me: Blank stare. Matthew: Five bucks. I charge five dollars for sorting my laundry. Me: OK. Cool. I am charging $5 for washing your clothes today. So I guess we can call it ...

June 13, 2018 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ~James 1:2-4 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. ~Romans 5:3-4 I've been thinking a lot about these verses and their implications this week - since Sunday's sermon and Sunday evening's small group discussion. Care to join me in my thoughts? The thing is, as Paul and James were writing those words, they were thinking about the wonderful good God works in the lives of His children as they endure suffering. Paul and James were considering how beautiful a child of God becomes when that child has gone through God's refining fire. These guys had their eyes on the end result of the trial, ...

May 31, 2018 Yesterday Matthew and I were standing in the kitchen looking outside at a very cloudy sky when he asked, "Do you know if it's going to be cloudy all day?" I had looked at the weather forecast previously, but information like that only stays in my head long enough for me to decide what I'm going to wear that day - so I had to tell Matthew I didn't know the answer to his question. He kind of *hmphed* and said, "Well, I hope it gets sunny so I can mow the lawn." And I had to pause at that comment, because I didn't understand what the sun had to do with mowing the lawn. Hmmmmm? Last I knew our lawn mower ran on gasoline. I certainly wasn't aware of us buying a solar powered machine. And I'm guessing my ponderings showed up on my face as confusion. Because after a moment of silence Matthew explained his need for sunshine. That is, he wanted to mow the lawn with his shirt off so as to even up the "farmer's tan" he'...

March 27, 2018 So, yesterday I had a list of things I needed to accomplish and I got started on it right away. After I slept in until 7:39, that is. (You know. 7:30 + one tap of the Snooze button.) Hey! I needed rest to tackle my stuff. *wink* Got my workout in, had breakfast, got showered and ready for the day, sorted laundry and got it going, made my bed, and was ready to head out the door to go grocery shopping. Part of me wanted to delay my departure so I could put the first load of laundry in the dryer and get another wash going, but I decided to just keep moving. I got through the store, unloaded and put away groceries, and went downstairs to switch over the laundry. But when I got down there, something was amiss. The laundry I'd left in the basket at the bottom of the stairs was gone. So I proceeded to the laundry room to see what was going on, and I discovered the task I planned to do was already done. And I smiled as I realized Josh had switched over the laundry for me. ...

October 24, 2017 I recently sat at the table, reading my Bible and praying. And as I was praying - as I sat there in the quiet with my eyes closed - I heard someone coming from the other side of the house. I could tell this person was in the hallway, now turning the corner, passing the dining room table and, yep, now in the kitchen coming toward me. (The sound difference from walking on carpet to the wood floor let me know the traveler's exact location.) I found myself pausing my prayer briefly as I wondered who was now sharing space with me. Did he have a question for me? Did he need me to do something? Should I open my eyes and engage him in conversation? But instead of doing anything, I just sat with my eyes closed, and listened. And without saying or hearing a word, I knew exactly who was about to go past me. Because the sound of the wood floor told me the feet were bare, the rapid rate of the footsteps told me the individual was in a bit of a hurry, and the distinct echo of t...

September 19, 2017 Ahhhhh, my girl came home this weekend! We hosted a baby shower for one of her best friends, so Elizabeth crossed our threshold for the first time in over four months. Yes. I've been counting. *wink* And it kind of surprised me how much time I spent anticipating her visit. *I made our dinner menu to suit her vegetarian-ism. *Cleaned up the living room for the baby shower, but left the decorating for her - because I knew she'd enjoy it, and would do a lovely job. (She did. Both!) *Took clutter off her bed and set it aside. (Yeah. I didn't go crazy and clean her room...) *Verified that she could join us for Krav Maga Saturday morning. But as much as I enjoyed preparing, it was what Elizabeth did that made the biggest impact. That is, *I watched my daughter genuinely and enthusiastically greeting loved ones (her brothers and friends) who she hasn't seen in a long time. *I saw her taking time to talk and listen - to go places for the sake of building rel...

August 9, 2017 At least, that's what I'm telling myself. That is to say, I'm allowing such a line of thinking to assuage my guilt. What I mean is, Monday was my wedding anniversary. (Twenty-four years!) Brian and I had plans to go out to dinner - alone - and as I was making my menu/grocery list for the week I found out both of the boys were going to be working Monday night. So I didn't plan anything for dinner at home. Because why should I make something for nobody, right? Even though Nobody does so many things for us around here. Like, Nobody changes burnt out light bulbs. Nobody picks up clumps of dirt that Somebody brings into the house on their shoes. Nobody wipes crumbs or splashes of water off the counter. And Nobody ALWAYS turns the lights off in the basement. (Which must be why "he" always changes the brunt out light bulbs, too. Very concerned about our light usage, that Nobody is!) Anyway, where was I??? Ah, yes, I was not making dinner Monday nigh...

February 21, 2017 Yesterday when I turned my phone on, I had this message from my daughter waiting for me: I miss having a mom in the house that will sometimes pick up my mess when I'm too tired to do it. Unfortunately, I go to bed knowing that in the morning, the kitchen will look exactly how I left it. I smiled at her sweetness, and thought about the conversation we'd had this past weekend. My girl is in the thick of classes and looking for an internship for this summer. And she isn't feeling like she has any of it under control. Rather, she's feeling quite overwhelmed by it all. Especially the unknowns. And in moments like this when she's tired and overwhelmed and feeling a bit disheartened - while I know I can pray for her - I really wish I could just be there. To clean up her kitchen, and do her laundry, and buy her groceries, and anything else she might need. Oh, and to sing her songs at bedtime, like I did when she was little. In moments like this it's h...

Febraury 1, 2017 The other day I was getting supplies together to go paint in a house we're getting ready to put on the market. Among those supplies was a plastic grocery bag. And as soon as I grabbed the bag and closed the cabinet door, I regretted my action. Because Mindy came trotting over to me with a look of hopeful expectation. And I wasn't going to grant her wish. (She thought I was preparing to take her out - as getting a plastic bag to, uh, be a responsible pet owner is one of the steps she knows comes before a walk.) Never mind it was too cold for a walk anyway . I had a job to do, so I apologized to my faithful companion for getting her hopes up - and I stepped outside. Without her. Yet I carried with me the very sad look in her eyes which cried out, But, Mom! I want to go with you. I want to go on a walk! Can't we spend time together? And with the memory of her disappointed puppy-dog eyes, I found myself wondering if I've ever left God feeling the same way...

January 6, 2017 Have you ever played Soooooo big with a baby? You know, when you take their hands in yours and say, "How big is 'Baby'?" Then you lift their arms up over their head and sing, "Sooooooo big!" And then you both explode in giggles. I love that game! Well, this week - between some personal things, my church's Facebook prayer group, my Life Together group, my Precept group, and a praying friend who faithfully sends me requests - I have sort of felt like I'm playing Soooooo big with God. That is, Wednesday evening as I was praying with a heart full of burdens I found myself asking, How big is God? How can He possibly keep track of all these needs? How is it that He doesn't forget, never overlooks, and always knows what to do? How big is HE??? Then with a smile in my heart, and all the faith HE has placed in me I proclaimed, God is soooooo BIG!!! Do you know that Truth, my friend? Can you fathom in your mind how incredibly BIG o...

December 9, 2016 Well, if you ever want to know if there's an area in your life which needs transforming - just ask God to shine a spotlight on it. And prepare yourself to be convicted. Because this week as I have been contemplating Love is Not Irritable , Wow! Have my eyes been opened!!! It started with the test I took right after recording Monday's video devotion, and it's been going strong all week. God's Spirit has been drawing my attention to every little thing which I allow to irritate me. Oh, I long to be refined by Him. To be able to say that Love defines me - and I am not irritable. I remember when this Irritable Mother journey began, and I was known to fly off the handle and yell at my children, and go through my days angry and frustrated. I am sooooo glad God has changed my heart and taken me from that way of living. But with a spotlight on Love is Not Irritable this week He has shown me I am, in fact, still prone to irritability. Though I may not be yellin...

June 30, 2016 So, Monday I sat down to have my quiet time with the Lord, and I read this verse: The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God's help be encouraged. ~Psalm 69:32 And encouraged, I was. Because I have been wrestling recently with questions about my calling. Wondering which path I should be walking. And I am seeking Him! Thus, when I read that those who seek His help should be encouraged - when I was reminded that He is at work - my heart felt like a weight had been lifted. I wrote in my journal, I am forever thankful for my Lord's attention, help, and encouragement. HE knows what I need and HE is faithful. Yes. HE is always at work. I want to remember that Truth. Oh, I need to trust that God is working things out - even when I can't see the result and am uncomfortable in the not-knowing. Thank You, Father, for Your work and Your perfect plans. I confess my uneasiness in waiting to see the end, but I will wait. Please help me to ...

December 2, 2015 I have been so absolutely blessed by the time I have spent with the LORD lately. I mean, I have always been blessed in spending time with Him. ALWAYS. It's just that yesterday's moments were especially wonderful and I simply have to share about them with you. I entered into my time with God with a fairly heavy heart, because of so many needs which have been made known to me. My desire was to spend time laying the needs before Him, trusting and thanking Him for meeting every one. So I knelt down and wrote out my thanksgivings and requests and then my eyes fell upon this scripture which was printed in my prayer journal: I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. ~Isaiah 42:16 I read those words, and then read them again. And I felt pretty sure God was giv...

October 13, 2015 Sunday after church one of Matthew's friends was coming over. This friend moved a year or so ago and doesn't go to Matthew's school anymore, so it's been a while since he's been over. He's a nice kid, and I was glad for the chance to see him again. In the past his mom has always dropped him off, and I was expecting the same Sunday. So when a truck pulled into our driveway, and T got out and came into the house - but the truck remained, I was a bit surprised. But, whatever. I greeted T and asked what he and Matthew had planned for the afternoon. He told me they were going to go out for lunch. I paused. And started putting the pieces together. Me: Oh, you're 16 now, aren't you? T: Yes. Is he driving now? Is that why the truck is still here? Me: So, you've got your driver's license, huh? T: (smiling) Yes. Oh. So, you're going to be driving Matthew today. But he's my baby. And I don't know if you drive well. Me: (...

October 7, 2015 I always love going to church. It is a delight to gather with my brothers and sisters in Christ to worship the LORD together, and to hear His Word preached for our edification and transformation. I just love being part of such a service. But sometimes, God has a little something extra planned to make me cherish the experience even more. Like HE did this past Sunday. Our pastor was teaching about praying the scriptures and at the end of the service he gave us opportunity to put into practice the very thing he'd just been saying. We each had a list of topics about which we might want to pray, which were followed by a couple related scripture references. Since I had very recently decided to host a women's listening retreat and have much planning to do, the topic Guidance appealed to me and I "randomly" chose the second scripture reference listed. (If you know me, you know I don't believe anything is truly random.) I just love what happened next....

September 24, 2015 Me: (as Matthew is picking up the fruit bowl for a second serving) Uh, make sure you leave enough for Josh to have some. Matthew: (groaning) But he isn't here. Me: Leave enough for Josh. Matthew: He doesn't even have to know we had any. Me: Matthew, if you were the one at work and Josh was going for the rest of the fruit, wouldn't you want me to stick up for you? Brian: Yeah, Matthew. What would Jesus do? Matthew: (shrugging) Make more fruit?

July 1, 2015 OK. I know God is into details. I am well aware of His ability to do more than I ask. No news flashes with those two pieces of information. Why, then, I wonder? Why do I ask for so little???? Last week my grandmother decided she could no longer read regular-size type. Her eyes had been bothering her and she was getting headaches - and reading anything but "Large Print" just wasn't working. So I logged onto our library's website and found a couple large print books she would like to read. And I ordered them for her. But one is not available at the moment and the other is coming from somewhere across the state - so it'll be a while until it gets here. And Grandma really wanted something she could read right away. (She reads to help herself go to sleep every night.) Our local library has an entire wall of "Large Print" books, so I told my grandma I would go to the library and pick up something which she could begin reading right away. Sh...

June 30, 2015 ...doesn't mean it isn't chicken liver. Yeah. I discovered this truth the hard way. That is, I have - in the past - used a cup or two of tomato juice from a large can. And - not wanting to waste the rest - I put it into a plastic container and put it in the freezer. The plastic container was an empty cottage cheese or sour cream container ('Cuz I didn't want to waste that, either. *wink*) and I wrote "2 c. tomato juice" on the lid, so I would know what & how much it was when I needed it in the future. Smart thinking, right? I thought so. Well, the future came Saturday. I needed that tomato juice for a recipe. So I took the container out of the freezer in the morning, and set it on the counter so the contents could thaw. Every now and then when I walked past the counter I would stop and give the container - whose lid was labeled "2 c. tomato juice" - a little shake. You know, just to help the thawing process. I don't really ...

June 2, 2015 I took Elizabeth to Cran-Hill Ranch on Sunday. She's going to be a camp counselor there this summer and has two weeks of orientation before the first group of campers arrive. I was a counselor at Cran-Hill in 1991 and 1992, and am so stinkin' excited for my daughter. For the fun she'll have, the lives she'll touch, and the ways she is going to experience God. It is going to be a summer like none she has ever had before. And I am thrilled for her. I really am. But I'm also a little sad. See, for the past nine years I have taken Elizabeth to Cran-Hill - for a week of summer camp. And, always, at the end of the week I have picked her up and listened to story after story of the adventures she had at the Ranch. But Sunday when we checked in at the office I said to Mal (the camp director), "I'm giving her to you for a whole summer this time. Take good care of her." Then we hugged and I prayed for her and we said our good-byes. And I got in...

May 28, 2015 So, one of my children had a, uh, fender bender recently. No one was hurt, and no damage came to the vehicles. But there was a ticket issued. Which had an associated fine. Which has been paid. We thought the situation was over. Until a notice came in the mail stating the correct amount for the fine, including a little line labeled, "balance due." The child has seen the notice - he's the one who opened it - and, yet, it sits on the kitchen counter waiting to be paid. More than once I have asked the aforementioned child when he is going to take care of the aforementioned fine. Each time the child has made a non-committal response about taking care of it sometime. And each time, I have thought about how easy it would be for me to just do it - but known that to do so would not be doing the child any favors. He needs to take responsibility. I know that! I had to help him with the initial fine because it required a cashier's check and he didn't know h...

May 22, 2015 Some days are easier than others. Know what I mean? This week has seen quite a few of those "others" for Grandma. A nasal infection seems to be the culprit - as it interferes with her sleeping ability, and the antibiotic she's taking to clear it up was giving her stomach problems. The combination of those two things left her feeling kinda rotten. Not a good time. Grandma's trouble, coupled with my own issues this week, have made for a cloudy atmosphere around my house. But as we sat down for lunch yesterday she held her hand out toward me (Because that's what she always does.), and I took her hand in mine and we bowed our heads to pray. As I always do, I thought about the things for which I could give thanks. I thanked God for Grandma's physical improvement, for her massage therapist who was going to be coming that afternoon, and for... And for God's faithfulness. Because His faithfulness is so good, and so complete, and so, well, faithful ....

April 29, 2015 I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was my junior year in college and I was at a weekend conference about prayer when the speaker took to the mic and proclaimed, "There is no power in prayer." And I'm all, Excuse me? Who are you, and what are you saying? Have you hijacked this conference to bring us some heretical teaching? Quick! Someone get the Theology Police!!! But before anyone had a chance to start throwing things at the platform, and now that he had our attention he made his point. The power exists in and flows from GOD. And prayer is our vehicle to access that power. Admittedly, I don't remember the specifics of his teaching that weekend (*ahem* It was 23 or 24 years ago.) but I have never forgotten that statement. And as my faith and prayer-life have grown, so has my confidence that the power is in my All-knowing, All-seeing, All-loving, Completely-able GOD. I think it is because of this confidence in what God can do, that so...

April 16, 2015 OK, relax. I am NOT talking about the kind of becoming like a certain Olympian from the 70s, whose "becoming" has been all over the news lately. (I get updates when standing in line at the grocery store. *ahem*) What I'm talking about is this: Lately my son has been saying things - expressing frustration about certain situations - which has me thinking he gets me. For example, he said to me a few nights ago, "It drives me crazy when people don't listen to what I say." He went on to describe a situation at work when he had to enforce some park rules, but the subjects of the enforcement didn't want to comply. Instead, they argued with my son. Tried bargaining with him. Ignored his words. But after several minutes of my son being as polite as possible and explaining the rules (while also trying to hide his frustration) they finally gave in. As he relayed the story, I could feel his angst in the moment and I nearly bit my tongue to keep mys...

April 8, 2015 If you've been reading here for any amount of time, you know I have often been delighted by the various ways God speaks to my heart. But, would you believe it if I told you I think sometimes HE speaks through my son's X Box? See, the other day Matthew was playing on the X Box with his friends (on X Box Live - where they wear these headphone things and can talk to each other/see one another on the screen). Anyway, he was intent on his game and talking to his friends - on their venture to rid the world of all evil. Meanwhile, I was sitting across the room praying for a woman who attended the retreat at which I spoke last month. The theme of the retreat was "Be Still: God's Got This", and at the end of it I asked the ladies to fill out cards so I could pray for them. The cards said, "Be Still...God's got (blank)" and the women filled in the blank with their "this", i.e. the circumstance in their life with which they were commi...

April 7, 2015 A few weeks ago, I went into Matthew's bedroom to say "Good night" and found my son hunched over his desk, distraught, with tears in his eyes. He looked up at me and asked, "Do you know how to write a sonnet?" Seems it was an assignment from his English teacher, and he hadn't the first idea where to start. (Funny how my kids think writing a couple of books makes me knowledgeable about all kinds of writing. Matthew's question was not the first of similar queries my children have thrown at me over the years. *ahem*) Anyway, I confessed to him that I wasn't even sure what a sonnet was (I mean, besides some kind of poem) - let alone how to write one. But I sat down with him to see if I could help. At that point I realized Matthew knew what a sonnet was, and what he needed to do. He simply was under pressure and felt despairing. All he needed from me was moral support and an idea, or two. So I thought for a minute, What does Matthew like...

January 28, 2015 Sunday afternoon I was making some Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread. (One of the requests from certain men in my household is: Now that I have "more time" because I am not "working", would I please make those yummy breads I used to make? ) So, I was making the bread. I had two loaves in the oven and was sitting in the adjacent room while they baked. I don't know how long into the baking process it was, but at some point I heard an odd noise and then a buzzing coming from the oven. I walked into the kitchen to see what was going on and discovered the oven had turned off. It still had power - because the light came on when I opened it - but the control panel was completely dark and the oven wasn't generating any more heat. Sooooo, I closed the door quickly and left the two loaves in the oven for a long time - hoping in vain that they'd finish baking. (Actually, the ends baked enough for one or two good slices and you could carve a slice off e...

November 19, 2014 I had a great conversation with a teller at the bank yesterday. Honestly, I don't even remember how we got started, but he was asking me questions about God and my faith - and the Holy Spirit just took over. Early on, "R" asked me about how a person can keep the faith in the midst of struggles. And later, he pressed me for a more complete answer. He wondered, How can a person trust God to get them through difficult times? At that point I think I leaned on the counter to get a little closer to him. And I told R I think it's important to remember what God has brought you through in the past. I believe there is a lot of value in recalling His faithfulness, so you can have confidence for your present circumstances. Then I looked into his beautiful brown eyes and said, "It seems to me, we have a choice. We can either keep pushing God away and not trusting Him - which will likely result in Him allowing more difficult circumstances into our lives s...

October 21, 2014 Josh is presently on the hunt for a car. He has been busy searching the internet for just the right vehicle: *not too old *good condition *at least 22mpg *big enough to carry a canoe on top *kinda sporty and, of course, *low cost. And one evening last week...He thought he'd found it. A 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee; 92,400 miles; body looked great in the photo; $2,500 It almost seemed too good to be true. Brian began a conversation with him about that very real possibility. You know, perhaps the side of the vehicle NOT shown in the picture had a big dent in it. Or maybe the brakes were shot. Perhaps it had been totaled in an accident and given a cheap make-over. Matthew asked, "Are you sure it has an engine?" So, Josh contacted the seller, and this is the response he received: Hello! I'm emailing you about my 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited I have for sale. It has all books, complete set of tools and keys and 92,400 miles. The price was redu...

August 27, 2014 In Michigan, they say there are two seasons: Winter, and Road Construction. And it ain't Winter right now, folks. *sigh* So, Sunday as we were driving home from Holland - after we drove to Holland from Wheaton - we were a bit discouraged to come upon backed up traffic. Which we knew was from construction about five miles yonder down the highway. When we'd been creeping along for about 15 or 20 minutes, we noticed cars ahead of us going through an "Authorized Vehicles Only" turn-around. (Love those signs, by the way. Always know where to find my "Z" when we're playing the Alphabet Game !) Some vehicles which were past the turn-around were even retreating back to it, so they could get to the other side of the highway and seek an alternate route. Matthew asked what those cars were doing, and I said the drivers probably knew another way to get where they were going. A few moments later - when we were closer to the turn-around - Brian lo...