Nov
13
2023
I have been considering how regret is a stronger emotion than gratitude. Regret can overrun our desire for gratitude. It can invade our thoughts and interrupt our thankfulness.
Like anything wild and deadly, it must be managed consistently, persistently, and...
Nov
10
2023
I read recently that gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. It counteracts against the four most toxic emotions: envy, bitterness, regret, and depression. I think about my dad and his deep struggle with depression at times in his...
Nov
09
2023
We had a staff meditation on Psalm 4 and Philippians 4:4-8. These are some of my favorite memory verses. I am always surprised by the demands of the Psalmist, which is David in this case. He says, “Answer me...
Nov
08
2023
A friend of mine posted on Facebook a description of the physical suffering of Jesus on the cross. I never realized the loss of blood is why water poured from his side. The Roman soldier who witnessed Christ’s death...
Nov
07
2023
Dad and I would discuss why Bible classes in Christian schools and colleges were often the worst classes, boring, uninspired, didactic, and lacking. I think about this in my own life. How perhaps some of my worst conversations with my daughters...
Nov
06
2023
We have had a vibrant fall this year. As the chlorophyll dissipates from the leaves, their true colors are revealed. The color deepens with the warm days and crisp nights. If the weather is too rainy or the frost...
Nov
03
2023
I have a few friends having babies soon and one of the fun parts is to learn the name. It’s amazing how children live into a name.
It’s a creative act to name a child. Beyond the power of a...
Nov
02
2023
I drove by a sign that said, "God uses us to love people.”
I have felt tremendously loved by others. My mom and dad loved me with an all-encompassing, deeply powerful love. It was so healing. They loved me for...
Nov
01
2023
I met with a beautiful friend about grief.
She asked me about my journey with Dad’s death and how it has affected me. “Like a major car wreck, like a life altering experience,” I explained. It’s difficult to describe the...
Oct
27
2023
Sometimes I imagine Dad riding next to me in the car. We might pray together, or I will ask him a question. I loved to get his opinion on dysfunction. He understood it so well, having done so much...
