
Summer vacation has come to an end and school is back in full swing. Even though it may seem far away, Christmas will be at our door before we know it. And I’m looking forward to the celebration! For many, the celebration of Christmas centers around shopping, overspending on an abundance of gifts, maxing out credit cards and being completely stressed out. Instead of falling into this materialistic celebration so deeply that we miss Jesus, let’s celebrate the birth of our Savior. Let’s celebrate Jesus and celebrate our salvation through Him.
We’re planning ahead for our celebration, just as you would plan ahead for a very important event. As we look forward and plan, I’m going to show you how [read the rest…]
My Daddy is with Jesus. He is in the presence of his Savior. Even as I write those words, I’m struck again with deep emotion. Not just grief, even though that has been very real, but also with such joy. It’s what we, as believers, are living every day of our lives for – to one day be in the presence of our Savior. So knowing that daddy is with Jesus fills me with overflowing joy.
I learned so much about faith and godly character through my daddy’s life but watching him die taught me even more. [read the rest…]
I had to go to the dentist today! I say that with an exclamation point because I hate going to the dentist. I don’t hate my dentist – he’s actually a great friend; but I hate going to have work done – especially if it involves the drill. A few days ago, while I was eating, a large piece of one of my jaw teeth broke off. Obviously I had to get the repair work done. My dentist said that the fillings that I got when I was a teenager have about reached their life expectancy and the filled teeth have weakened over the years. I thanked him for that word of encouragement. The natural advice to follow was to be careful about what I eat – don’t bite down on hard candy or large pieces of ice; be careful and wise, unless I want to have more broken teeth.
This reminds me of a verse in the New Testament that gives us some “be careful” advice for living. Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Be thoughtful and prayerful about how you live, being led by the Spirit, making wise decisions. The next part of the verse calls us to “make the most of every opportunity.” The Lord spoke to me about this very thing recently – making the most of every opportunity. [read the rest…]