What We’re Forgetting

I generally listen to K-LOVE radio in my car. I find the Christian music inspiring. But every now and then, I’ll switch over to the classic rock station (93.1 in the Sacramento area) for a walk down memory lane. I did just that the morning of November 1st and received an unpleasant shock. Christmas music. A sneak peek into the …

It’s Not a Dirty Word

Submission. A dirty word in some women’s vocabulary. It brings to mind kowtowing or subservience. Maybe you think about other cultures where women are required to keep their faces covered or walk ten paces behind their husbands. How can we be expected to exhibit a gentle and quiet spirit in our culture today? Dare I say I disagree? Eighteen years …

It’s Not My Fault!

Chris and I work out most mornings while watching different television series we get via Netflix. Right now, we’re into season eight of Bones. This morning’s episode, while rather humorous at times, was a classic example of an epidemic issue in our culture today. A woman was arrested for contracting a hit on her husband, only he killed the wrong …

Welcome to My World

I’ll be the first to admit, I think too much. It must drive my poor husband crazy to be on the receiving end of the monologue of emotions I work through on a regular basis. But of course, he’s too sweet to admit it—or maybe he realizes that my mind is a scary place sometimes and it’s just best to …

What’s Your Type?

It’s that time again! In the mapping out of a new novel, I always dwell in the land of psychology. Actually, I get stuck there for a while because relearning the nuances of different personality types is a little addicting. Although I’ve done this before a multitude of times, something new is always revealed. It may be in my own …

Not Ours to Name

Whenever the subject of prayer comes up among my Christian friends, there is some debate over how and why we should pray. But what it comes down to in the end is that if we pray God’s will, those prayers will be answered. Some might question the point in praying then. I mean, if God’s will is to accomplish something …

Hunting He Will Go

It’s that time of year again—my husband’s bi-annual hunting trip. Seven years into this routine, and I can say that I enjoy this trip almost as much as he does, and I don’t even go with him. I love my husband. Truly love him. I love our time together, our friendship and our marriage. He makes me laugh, makes me …

Baby Step Your Way to Faith

The only thing that makes getting up at 4:30 in the morning tolerable is knowing that, once I have my coffee in hand, I’ll be sitting down with Jesus. What started out as a push to make this ritual a habit soon became the highlight of my day. Of course, there have been seasons when this time is plagued by …

It Takes a Village

I love my kids. They’re sweet, funny and just a enough off-center that I often wonder if they were switched at birth. If they didn’t resemble me a little and love to write, I’d have serious doubts. Even so, they make me proud. And yet, when one of my friends regales me with new grandma stories, I’m envious. When I …

Easy, Breezy Flagstone Patio Project

Several years ago, my husband and I bought a pallet of flagstone. We’re not spontaneous shoppers. In fact, it takes us quite a while to decide to purchase anything until we’re good and ready to use it. So the fact that we’ve had this flagstone sitting in what my husband refers to as our “bone yard” is unusual. Neither of …