What, Me, Worry?

cookie jar

What does a girl do when she’s anxious?  In my case, she bakes oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, settles down in front of her favorite chick flick and proceeds to eat the whole batch into oblivion. Chewy, sweet, slightly nutritious… escapism. There are so many things that set our nerves on edge these days.  We worry about our children’s safety.  We hear stories about people showing up at schools with shotguns and predators’ trolling the internet. Our schedules seem to be non-stop, finances and relational issues bog us down, and we Continue Reading

Tearing Down the Walls, Weeping to the Hymns, and Singing in the Rain

book of Nehemiah

This week some walls came-a-tumblin’ down. Inside the sanctuary of my church, we began a three day tear down—after 30 years of non-stop use, our church home is being remodeled, reworked, and being called The Restoration Project. A few hundred of us showed up with tools, axes, gloves and elbow grease, and the demolition began. Crowbars creaked planks apart, axes were wielded with aplomb, and lighting fixtures came down; the people of my church earnestly tackled the demolition just as earnestly as they have tackled missions trips and singing Continue Reading

Hope Floats

hope-floats6

      Blessed be the Lord,                                                     For He has shown me his marvelous         kindness in a strong city!      For I said in my haste,         ‘"I am cut off from before your eyes”;      Nevertheless You heard the voice         of my supplications      When I cried to out to You.      Oh, love the Lord, all you his saints!      For the Lord preserves the faithful,      And fully Continue Reading