Summer is the time when many people escape to sun, sand, and ocean breezes. I, myself, prefer the serenity of my backyard garden. I never cease to be amazed at how seeds, smaller than a pinhead, turn into bountiful blossoms of beauty.
Clear Skies Ahead
The “S” Word
What If
From the Mouths of Babes
My toddler learned a Vacation Bible School song that we’ve all been singing frequently over the past couple of weeks from the Roar! VBS program called I’m Trusting You.
A Servant’s Heart
The setting was perfect. It was a lovely cool summer evening. The yard was beautifully landscaped, and all of the details had fallen into place. At the end of the wedding ceremony, the bride sat in a chair, lifted up the edge of that beautiful gown, and her groom began to wash her feet. It felt incredibly intimate and in a way I felt I had no right to witness it. This couple understood that God doesn’t just want us to act like a servant from time to time. God wants us to BE a servant all the time both in our deeds and in our hearts.
When We Make Mistakes
A few months ago, I was at a pulmonologist appointment with my four year-old son, Sam. If you’ve ever turned on a blender and forgotten to put the lid on, then you’ll know what those 90 minutes in that office were like for me. Containing my active, essentially non-verbal kiddo with Down syndrome in a 6x6 square foot area is both a joy and a Crossfit workout. “No touch. Please don’t lick that. Put those back. Close the door.” Repeat.
Stay Calm and Cast On
My family and I are gearing up to head to the shore for our annual vacation with my husband’s side of the family. I have been joining them on this trip since we began dating nine years ago. It’s where we were married and where I find some of my greatest memories - memories I look back on now to see some of God’s most splendid creations
No Better Place To Be
Capturing Culture
A Safe Place to Put Your Mind
I grew up in the heart of the Catskill Park in upstate New York. I swam in the Esopus Creek and hiked up Wittenberg Mountain. Whenever I walked the two miles along Route 28 from my house to Kirk’s Market in Phoenicia, I always ran into a neighbor I knew. The natural beauty of the Catskill Mountains and the friendly community made it a wonderful place to be a kid. I can’t possibly tell you what a childhood in that park means to me.
I also grew up with schizophrenia in my family…
Finding True Fatherhood
One of my earliest memories was taking a road trip alone with my father. With his long work hours and my multiple siblings, time alone with my dad was a treasure. I vividly remember him buying me a toy at a truck stop along the way and “showing me off” to the couple that we were visiting. To spend time alone with my dad was a gift. a
Losing My Religion
Summer in God’s Word
Psalm 104:34 “May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.”
Summer brings out the relaxation in all of us, with heading to the beach, dangling our feet in the pool, or sleeping in a little longer. It is one of the times of the year I treasure most because I get to spend so much time with family and friends.
