One Thousand (or more) Gifts
You Are Not a Failure, Live Free!
I lay awake, replaying the situation in the darkness. My son’s questioning of my authority and the house rules, and my response: ugly, belittling, and completely unnecessary. He had long since stormed to his room and I ducked to mine. The anger had dissipated, replaced by shame and regret. Harsh words hung in the air, evidence of another…
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…
11 Important Lessons Learned From Serving In Vacation Bible School
Serving isn’t always easy or comfortable, but we always grow through it. “Good duties must not be pressed and beaten out of us, as the waters came out of a rock when Moses smote it with his rod; but must freely drop from us, as myrrh from the tree, or honey from the comb.” ~ Thomas…
A Day To Be Grateful (thank you, veterans!)
Today I am honoring all servicemen and women who gave so much to this country, especially my uncle Harlan Reuter, whom I never met. Last week I attended the funeral of a former Navy sailor. Following the church service, we filed outside to be greeted by an honor guard detail. A brief ceremony ensued,…
Look Back. Engage Now. Move Forward. (Living Life to Its Fullest)
Nostalgia hits hard during the graduation season. Life takes on a new urgency. Parents cling a little tighter to those children still home and wish for just one more year with the one leaving. It is tempting to time warp to the middle of our kids’ grade-school years or the sweet baby-scent season and freeze there. To…
The Only Thing To Do When You Don’t Understand
As a young mother, I figured if I poured out enough love on my children and set clear boundaries for them, they would obey with little resistance. Perhaps a small consequence might be needed now and then, but for the most part, my charges would trust my judgment and direction. Precious little ones, answering my…
We Were Meant To Take Risks
One of my daughter Rachel’s favorite words is “home.” She repeats it over and over whenever she thinks we are planning an outing—insisting she must remain home. Apparently, she doesn’t like taking risks. If it were up to Rach, she’d play it safe. Not going anywhere, except maybe church. Harsh and Scary World At times,…
Can You Possess Both Gentleness and Strength? (Fruit of the Spirit Series)
Interested in listening to this post? Click on the CD image to get the free audio download of this post and the 9 other Fruit of the Spirit blog posts. Aside from moments when my children are sick or injured, I have never before classified myself as “gentle” or “meek.” Kind and compassionate, yes. But…
Living a Life of Faithfulness (Fruit of the Spirit Series)
We’re in our seventh week of the Fruit of the Spirit Series. If you missed any of the previous series’ posts. This week we tackle faithfulness. (If you would rather listen to this series, click here for access to the audio files.) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). The plan…
The Secret to Bearing the Fruit of Goodness [Fruit of the Spirit Series]
Anyone who has spent a few days with a young child knows it is impossible for little ones to avoid misbehavior. Even the most passive of children make poor choices and behave badly from time to time. Yet the age-old struggle is getting our children to admit their fault—to confess their “badness.” The same can…
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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