Blog
Wall of Hero’s
I was invited to an Open House dedication ceremony for the Wall of Hero’s at North Memorial Medical Center the other day because my mom was a donor. It’s a wall filled with photos of people who have donated organs, tissue or eyes either to recipients or medical science. There were 122 5-by-7 photos and I’m sure there are many more who don’t have their picture on the wall for whatever reason. There was a slide show during the open house of these photos and as the slide show progressed and showed each image I was very sad to see so many young...
read moreCrazy Love
I was challenged during a study of the book and workbook by Francis Chan “Crazy Love”. We did two chapters most weeks and one week was on “Lukewarm” and “Leftovers”. These are some of the questions I was presented with: Am I giving leftover sacrifices to God? Am I lukewarm or am I totally on fire for Him? Do I love Him with my entire body, soul and mind? Am I like the poor woman who gave two coins for an offering but yet she gave more than anyone else because that’s all she had? Am I like the man who invites only the people to dinner who can...
read moreCircle of Light
Bill gave me a birthday card today and inside he wrote: “God was super happy the day He made you, because He knew your whole story from beginning to end and He couldn’t wait to tell it” That was the most beautiful thing anybody has ever said to me. It made me cry and I’m still thinking about it. And it’s true, God does know my story. “Lord, you have examined me and know all about me. You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts before I think them. You know where I go and where I lie down. You know everything I do. Lord,...
read moreFreedom from Insecurity
I just finished a 10 week study on the Beth Moore book “So Long Insecurity, you’ve been a bad friend to us” And this is my recap and some of the things I’ve learned. Insecurity has dominated my life in ways I never saw. Looking back I now can see where every bad decision and action that I’ve done has been a result of insecurity. Insecurity was my avenue into bad relationships, addictions and other similar bad choices. One of the side effects or “cover” for insecurity in my life is perfectionism. I don’t take correction well, it...
read moreThird Christmas
This year was the third Christmas without my mom’s physical presence. The 1st Christmas after she died I didn’t know what to do. My husband’s family celebrates on Christmas Eve and I work every Christmas Eve. My family has gotten so big that most of us have in-law’s and are unavailable on Christmas Day. The last year my mom was alive my husband, Bill and I brought her to a Chinese buffet on Christmas Day. I’m so glad we did. It was a big snow storm and the street she lived on didn’t get plowed until the next day. She kept telling us not to...
read moreMasterpiece
I’m doing a 10-week study on Insecurity. I’ve completed 3 weeks and have already received some major revelations; now if I can just believe and apply them to my life. Here’s what I’ve realized about myself: I think people won’t like me if they know the real me so I strive and struggle to create and maintain an image that I think is likable acceptable and valuable. This image includes looking a certain way, avoiding conflict and confrontation and appearing intelligent and competent just to name a few. It sounds crazy when I...
read moreHope
A few days ago I broke down crying on the way to my sister’s house to see my family. I was thinking about how holidays were a few years ago when Mom was alive and how different they are now. We’re trying to learn how to be a family and it’s hard. Our family dynamics are different. I remembered being a kid and celebrating holidays with my aunt, uncle and cousins either at their house, Grandma’s or ours. When we got older and Grandma died things changed; we didn’t see our cousins, aunt and uncle much anymore. We both just celebrated holidays...
read moreOne Journey Leads to Another
This fall I joined a Women’s group to do a Beth Moore study titled “James, Mercy Triumphs”. During this study, I was confronted by James every week. It started with perseverance and endurance and to count our struggles as joy. “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any...
read moreGod has a Sense of Humor
God has a sense of humor. He gets me in the places I need to be by placing a variety of circumstances in front of me. I was done with Physical Therapy for my shoulder but was still having pain. There were nights I’d sleep on the couch because it hurt too bad to sleep in bed. The couch allowed me to lean on the back of it which relieved my shoulder pain so I could sleep. I’d been getting massages for my shoulder and they seemed to help for a while but the pain would always return. I started buying massage coupons for different places through...
read moreFaithful With Little
Faithful with Little We are going to inherit the Kingdom one day: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” Matthew 25:34 NIV Right now the Kingdom is in us and one day we will be in it. “and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father —to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.” Revelation 1:6 NIV The story in Matthew 25:14-28 talks about being faithful with what we’ve been...
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