love
In the Midst of the Long and Hard There Is This…[Gifts]
The days get long and hard and complicated. But there is this … gifts of grace. Gentle breezes brushing tree tops, setting clothes to flapping on the line. There is Grandma’s threadbare clothespin bag, filled with memories—a legacy of hard work and family. There is sunshine and soft green grass. There are brothers and love…
Unspoken Words of Wisdom
Words of wisdom don’t always have to be spoken. Her twinkling eyes catch the glimmer of the raindrop as it strikes the glass. “Hi!” She greets it as if an old friend. She grins and giggles over what appears to be much of nothing, but which really might be everything. Her joy is infectious. She…
Losing at Love Is Worth the Risk
“Tis better to have loved and lost, Than never to have loved at all.” —Alfred Lord Tennyson The Dichotomy Love is such a dichotomy. On one hand, it radiates warmth and joy. On the other, it produces deep pain. Most of us have experienced both sides of the love “coin” to some degree. Many have enjoyed…
Solution for Caked-On Filth [Squeaky Clean With No Scrubbing]
Oozing down His body, flowing over the parched ground. Staining all it touched. His blood. Warm. Bright. RED. Life ending, yet life giving. The horror of His mutilation. His sacrifice for me. His sacrifice for you. Giving of His life in the most horrendous, bloody way for all of His beloved children. Remember the…
Love Has Everything To Do With It (Live Love and Live Loved)
I’ve been somewhat off grid this past week at the 2013 Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod National Youth Gathering in San Antonio, learning to live love(d). This triennial event hosting 20,000 to 30,000 teenage youth presents an opportunity for young people to learn more about Jesus Christ, the Christian faith and their Lutheran identity. As an adult shepherd (aka, chaperone), I…
A Beautiful Picture of Love
An image of love: A little boy follows after his father. Stepping in his footprints. Picking up his habits. Imitating his actions. He wants to be like his daddy. But growth and maturity and experiences are lacking. Hardships and important milestones are missing. Fire and pressure, hurricane force winds and gentle breezes, lapping waves and…
When the World Spins Backward
Years ago, my maternal grandmother died in her sleep. She was 87. I cried. I missed her (I still do). But it was expected. It is just the way things are–the natural process of life. I can accept that. I can accept aging as, not always welcome, but inevitable. We are born, grow for 30…
What Makes Mothers So Special?
I’m always wondering how to be a better mom. Often beating myself up because I falter in this motherhood thing. So I’m teaching myself to look at mothering differently. Mothers aren’t special because they gave birth. Mothers aren’t special because they are perfect. (Although mine is close. Psst—so is my mother-in-law.) Mothers aren’t special because…
Incomprehensible Love
Who can really understand His love? Who, in their humanly finite mind, can begin to fathom the extent of what Jesus Christ did for us? The suffering He faced? Oh, we say we get it. We comment on how great a sacrifice it was. But how can we truly know the depths to which Jesus…
Real Love: Drop the “But” (Fruit of the Spirit Series)
Love. Our culture has it wrong. It is not about how we feel or what we get … or even about what we give. It is about how we give. True love is demonstrated by affectionately giving to others while freely giving up self. Absorb what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13: 4–5: “Love is…
Hello, I'm Julie, an imperfect wife and mother of four. Life in this broken world is not always easy. Yet, joy can be found in each day through the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I find it's easy for our day's blessings to get lost in its happenings. But God's "mercies never end" (Lamentations 3:22) and His "grace is sufficient" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
May the posts and pages on this site offer you a measure of peace and encouragement.
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