Emmanuel! He Always Reminds Me

Every Christmas I seem to get bogged down in the details.  I think it's because I'm a first-born and I have the incredible sense of responsibility to do things perfectly, from the way I fold the dishtowels to the way I hang the Christmas wreath. When I'm in this state, I don't appreciate and enjoy the wonderous thoughts and reflections of the season. I just go like gangbusters, get exhausted and start feeling unappreciated.  O Martha, thy name is Renee.  And this is no way to do Christmas. I  love the Lord and  He is so patient when I Continue Reading

Thanksgiving: The Ultimate Survival Technique

It was Thanksgiving 1981, and since I was supposed to be thankful for what I had, I went down the list. I had: -A husband who’d just admitted to an ongoing affair    with a woman he wouldn’t give up. -A two month old son. -A completely uncertain future. -A body exhausted from stress, weeping  and nursing a newborn. -A broken, confused, disillusioned heart. -A mind ready to explode from the traffic going through it. -A holiday dinner to help prepare. -A charade to keep up in front of my family. Thankful? You're kidding, right? Continue Reading