Like a lot of parents right now, I am facing a much too quiet house. One that is missing the footsteps, laughs, and presence of my college-aged daughter. Saturday, we made the trip to return her to college and we all struggled with the juxtaposition of sadness and excitement. Tears flowed freely in our home the week preceding …
In the mid-1800’s many pioneers traveled west by Conestoga wagon. They would travel in a single line referred to as a wagon train. At night, the wagons would form a circle around their camp and livestock as a defense against attack. Today, circling the wagon is an idiom referring to a group of people who unite for a …
As I write this, it is Valentine’s Day. And men and women everywhere are scrambling to pick up last-minute cards, gifts, flowers, and candy. Dinner reservations have been made. Babysitters lined up. All because the calendar says it’s February 14. I’m a pretty low maintenance person so my husband is lucky. Bring me a sub for dinner so I don’t have …
A few weeks ago, I wrote about an incident at the church we attend in our daughter’s college town: (https://simplyjoy.online/blog/doubt/too-much-like-peter/). “During worship, I felt this overwhelming desire to step into the aisle and kneel during worship. Had I been at our home church, I would have done it and not given it a second thought. …
Last weekend kicked off one of my favorite times of the year. Football season. To be specific, college football at my daughter’s college. My husband and I are season ticket holders and every home game we sit in the stands cheering and throwing purple and yellow streamers every time we score. The environment is charged, …
Everyone knows what it is like to miss someone. I miss my daughter who we took back to college over the weekend. The house is too quiet. There are no shoes in the foyer or empty toilet paper rolls in the powder room – tell tale signs of her presence. My heart hurts and longs …
We all have those days or weeks when everything seems to go wrong, and you feel like you can’t catch a break. Last week it was my turn. It was going to be a very busy week even if everything went according to plan and there were no surprises. I had a lot of personal …
Last week’s post was part 1 about the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). I shared that we walk away from God – not the other way around; how we need to repent to return home, and the unconditional love of the Father. If you haven’t read last week’s post, I encourage you to …