How many times have we resolved that this year was going to be different? And then we proceeded to make a list of all the things we were going to do differently, starting January 1, to ensure that things would change this year? And how many of us have made it to March with these resolves….if we’re lucky? I want us to think for a few minutes about how 2019 can be different. Because I believe that it can. I believe we can start the year with purpose and make some lasting changes in our lives. But that won’t come with a list of resolutions, things we are bound…
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Messes and Stresses: How Christmas Brings Hope in the Midst of Life
Christmas- a magical time of year. At least it is for a lot of people. But for some people, it can be a struggle to muster up some Christmas spirit. I fall into that category sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time with family and eating way too much food. I love picking out that perfect gift, imagining, my loved one’s face as they open it. I love the soft glow of the Christmas lights in my living room. I love the extra generosity that wells up in people this time of year. But it’s a few days before Christmas, and I’m thinking through what my Christmas…
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Little Drummer Boy: How Our Imperfect Efforts Please God
It’s now the season that Christmas music has shifted onto the scene. And I may try to fight the onslaught of Christmas carols, at least for a little bit. But this morning on my way to work, I played my two favorite versions of the traditional carol “Little Drummer Boy”. The versions are linked below, as well as my reasoning behind why these particular versions are my favorite, but that’s not the point of my writing today. I started listening to the lyrics. The song literally is 11 simple sentences and 81 words- that is, outside of the multiple “pa rum pa pump um”s. As I was listening to…
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A True Partner: Using My Strengths Even When It’s Not Glamorous
I recently had the opportunity to go to a Chris Stapleton concert with a friend. It was super last minute thing, but we had a blast. The music was great and the time to catch up with a sweet friend was invaluable. I’m not sure if you know this about Chris Stapleton, but his one and only back up singer is his wife. That’s not something you see very often in the entertainment world, so it’s always intrigued me. And not just me. The next week at work, I told someone that I had been to the concert, and her response was “Cool….was his wife singing with him?”. To see…
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Thanksgiving: A Pause to Refocus
Social Media is full of articles and debates about how early is too early to put up Christmas decorations. I tend to fall on the Scrooge side of that debate and say that the ABSOLUTE earliest should be the day after Thanksgiving. Though, my preference would be to wait another week or so. Believe me, I’ve been given so much grief for this stance. Apparently limiting Christmas festivities means that I hate holiday cheer, family, and tradition. That’s not necessarily the case…. I have several reasons for wanting to delay the onslaught of red and green. The biggest reason is an overlooked holiday. We get so excited about the holidays,…
