“Gotta be thick-skinned to survive ministry,” advised a pastor to my young husband. “I’d never have continued if I’d let every criticism get under my skin.” As a pastor’s wife and mother, I found criticism and church-goer barbs dug deep when slung my way. They seemed to hurt even more if they were hurled at […]
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Our church has started a meet and greet time during the service as many churches do. It is one of those things which make introverts run for the bathroom. Although it is a good practice for the body of the church, it’s a little uncomfortable for people-avoiders in attendance. Announced last Sunday, it came […]
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The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart. (Proverbs 21:1 ESV) My husband and I spent nearly twenty-five years overseas. And we can attest to the fact that the USA […]
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My husband is a fan of split screens and simulcasts. The more the merrier. One corner of the TV can play a football game, while the opposite corner shows something completely different. The bottom half of the screen competes with baseball and men in suits. It kinda drives me crazy. It’s too much happening at […]
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“Put me in jail, put me in jail,” our six year-old grandson shouted. “Put me in jail, Gramma,” The boy’s scooters whizzed by, daring me to move out of the way, challenging me to capture little law-breakers with their laughing taunts and haul them into garage jail. They were doing just great whizzing by until […]
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So, my husband moved the big trash container outside, you know the move-once-a-week hunker on wheels? It’s a job he accomplishes without thinking much about what might or could happen. Well, guess what was underneath? I believe the analogies of finding a copperhead snake coiled under the trashcan are unlimited. A jungle-man of missionary-offspring with […]
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“He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24 NKJV) 50. The Big 5-0. 5 Decades. A Half Century. As a bride, I had no idea. I thought people who had been married five years were already old. I recognize how rare it is, to hit a 50th wedding anniversary. […]
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I was my big brothers’ TV remote. I can still hear their call. Through the bleaching heat waves of Kansas, over the baked and cracked ground, their summons reached me. Underfoot brown farm grass crunched crispy-fried. An adoring mutt panted at my side, his long tongue hung red and wet. I loved being outside in […]
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“Just hang on,” he told me. I was at the wrong end of a washing machine stuck cattywampus in the stairwell half-way down to the basement. The heavy metal box towered above as I tried to hold it from sliding on top of me. I did just as he said, I hung on. I didn’t […]
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A shadow, long and wide, interrupted the sunshine for just a moment and then glided over the bright green foliage. My grandson and I squinted into the blue above us. We saw the outstretched wings of a big black hawk as it soared above the trees. It’s shadow slithered over us. For just a moment […]
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