Seeing with New Eyes

These past two weeks the media and my Facebook feed were filled with two events: one that divides and one that unites. The first one had a nation focused on each other and ourselves in disgust. The second one had a nation looking up in awe. The first one tore into our communities with hate. The second one covered our communities with wonder. The first one brought people out to stand up for something. The second one brought people out to stand up for one thing. The first one lasted days. The second one lasted minutes. How is it, that in a matter of 2 weeks, we have a people divided and then, a people united? I think there are more important questions: - Where were people looking when both events took place? - What was actually happening in their hearts and minds as they viewed both of these events? When we look at ourselves and then point out the differences in others, chaos happens. When we look up, harmony happens. Col 3:2  Set your minds on things that are above, not on ...

I wrote a blog a few years ago about playing hide-and-go-seek with my husband and daughter. Jocelyn was about 2 when I wrote it. I remember how excited she would get to go hide. She could hardly contain herself as she stood quietly in her spot. Nine times out of ten, she would burst out of her place before she was even found. But the real joy for her, was in the finding. She would squeal at the reveal of her daddy behind the curtains. As I reflect on this entry from a few years ago, I can't help but remember what I learned at that time. It's like this for my relationship with God. There are times I hide from Him or think I am hiding from Him. There are also times I am trying to find Him. When I am hiding, it's because I don't trust God can handle my yuck. I struggle with trusting that God sees it all and still loves me despite myself. As soon as I bring it all before Him, I am filled with relief. Psalm 139:2 -  You know when I sit down or stand up.      You...

I was first inspired to write about Princess J. (the main character in my book) because I was feeling spiritually attacked. A guest speaker explained that, as a woman, a mom, a wife, I have a target on my back. What is an easier way to tear a whole family apart than by going through the mom? The enemy will use every tactic to tear me down so that he will ultimately tear my family down. That made me angry. It still makes me angry. Really angry. You can mess with me but don't even think about messing with my family. So I did what any angry mom would do: I decided I would write books.  Ok, maybe not a first choice for everyone. Productive, nonetheless. I wanted teach my kids and other kids. Give them something that would help them be prepared when they are attacked. We are told to almost everywhere that we are alone. We must fight for ourselves. That we have to be brave, courageous, fearless, strong...all on our own. When we actually listen to that lie, we start to gain confidence i...

As I sat down to write this, an inspirational, all-time classic movie played in the background: Twister.  Ok. So maybe not an Oscar winning movie. Or even a top ten best. Regardless, the scene that was playing fit so well with this particular topic that I can't help but post it: "Things go wrong. You can't explain it. You can't predict it. You have to stop living in the past and look at what you have right in front of you." -  The late Bill Paxton - Twister Those "things that go wrong" come in all shapes and sizes. Some are big to me but not to you. Some are just speed bumps to me, massive road blocks to the next person. What seems huge one day may be completely irrelevant the next.  I won't ever forget that horrific moment in high school when my pants split down the backside in front of everyone. It makes me laugh out loud today, but I can assure you it did not make me laugh then. The pain of infertility, not once but twice, brought me to my ...