Christmas is thundering closer. But something just doesn’t feel right. We just spent five days traveling to the Cleveland Clinic for my heart failure evaluation. Not a journey I wanted to make the week before Christmas. But this is where God has us now, and it’s been a mixed bag with lots of … [Read more...] about Tweaking Tradition, Part 2
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Tweaking Tradition, Part 1
Tradition is not a neutral word. Like college football, or Jesus, or anything political, it evokes a strong emotion, reflecting how traditions have played out in our lives. I, too, have had a love-hate relationship with traditions over the past few years. The following article was first … [Read more...] about Tweaking Tradition, Part 1
What to Remember When Gratitude Is Elusive
Like love, gratitude is not something you feel, it's something you choose to practice. While we would all love to feel thankful on a regular basis, it is the times we struggle to feel it that we realize gratitude is a way of life. I have begun to understand this more and more. It is a fundamental … [Read more...] about What to Remember When Gratitude Is Elusive
Borrowed Words
Precious friends, I want to share with you my piece that was recently published by Yahoo Lifestyle and The Mighty. But I also want to include here more personal content than was distributed in these publications. As we approach the four-year anniversary of my diagnosis this month, I am especially … [Read more...] about Borrowed Words
Embracing the Seasons
“This is the day, this is the day, that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made…” My oldest child’s beautiful voice pierced the strained silence on her first day of Kindergarten. Adult tears flooded the front seat of that minivan as an innocent, trusting faith poured out in the back. With a … [Read more...] about Embracing the Seasons
Echoes in Eternity
“You are my hero,” she said. It echoed inside my head for months. I felt the deep inaccuracy in her words from the start. This vibrant woman full of life and grace and love, had no business looking up to me. But her enthusiastic rallying for others is part of her charm and part of her … [Read more...] about Echoes in Eternity