To My Son, on His 3rd Birthday

It seems strange that we are back here again, celebrating another one of your birthdays. Didn’t I just watch you turn 2?

But as I look back over the last year, I am overwhelmed by the differences in you. You, my son, are no longer a baby. I guess you already knew that since you remind me so often that you are a “big boy.” I still call you baby though. I can’t help myself.

You were suppose to be my last, but the current baby inside my belly is taking that position. You are instead destined to be the middle child–a role I think God placed you in with great care and consideration.

You will be a magnificent middle child. Why, you ask… Continue reading To My Son, on His 3rd Birthday

What Do Women Want?

Hello Wednesday and hello He Said/She Said day. As I was starting to write today’s post, I scribbled down in my journal “What do Women Want?” and next to it, in the margin, I also wrote, “Who knows…”

The question of what do women want is an age-old one that poets, philosophers, psychiatrists, and the like have attempted to answer for centuries. Truth be told, I don’t think many women actually know what they want.

Well, let me re-phrase. They think they know what they want, but very often, it is not until they get what they think they want, that they realize it is not what they need at all.

There is a reason for this though. One phenomenon in particular has done an excellent job of confusing and cajoling women. You might know what I’m going to say… Continue reading What Do Women Want?

The Bible Story That Makes Me Uncomfortable

The Bible Verse that Makes Me Uncomfortable

I have no problem believing the Bible. When I first became a Christian at 16, I had a few months where I questioned many of the accounts in scripture:

How did two people populate the whole earth? Did the flood really happen? What about dinosaurs (admit it you’ve asked about those pesky dinosaurs too)?

God quickly and effectively brought answers to those questions in different ways. Some answers came through other people, some through teachings, some through faith, and still others through simply reading the Word.

Since that time, I have fully understood scripture to be God-breathed, infallible, and inerrant. However, that’s not to say that certain passages, or even whole books of the Bible, I find difficult to swallow. That brings me to… Continue reading The Bible Story That Makes Me Uncomfortable

Happy 4th of July

I love the 4th of July. Fireworks, BBQs, fruit-flavored cocktails (oh wait, is that just me?), and, of course, time with family and friends.

Since becoming a believer, though, the 4th of July has taken on new meaning for me. Freedom is now something within my grasp. Freedom is no longer an abstract concept, but rather a reality.

He promises us no less:

John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (NIV)

2 Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (NIV)

Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (NIV) This is the verse my one and only tattoo is based upon, in fact.

Ephesians 3:12
In Him [Christ] and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (NIV)

I hope and pray that this July 4th represents freedom in Christ for you, as well as the blessed independence we celebrate as Americans. How do you celebrate the 4th of July? Where have you gained freedom in Christ where there was little or none previously?

prop images

Why Do You Believe in God?

Growing up, the idea of God was presented as a possibility. God, the man upstairs as it were, was at least an option of the table for me as a child. Granted, He was not Jesus Christ, the Messiah, but He was at least mentioned.

Years later, when I finally did meet Christ, I believe I was much more open to saying “yes” because at the very least, I believed in a God, if not the God.

Ironically, now that I am devoted to Jesus Christ, my family wonders why–how. Why have I become a “Christian” (often said as a dirty word). Why do I believe so wholeheartedly and completely in God?

This question is a lot trickier than it appears. I’d like to give some simple, succinct, yet powerful answer, but the truth is…I can’t. The answer is so much more…. Continue reading Why Do You Believe in God?

10 Ways to Tell if You are a Snob

I’m a snob. I admit it. I dabble in snobbery. I know it’s not always the best course of action and can often lead to awkward social situations and even hurt feelings.

My intentions are never to hurt anyone’s feelings. Truly. I just happen to be particular. I prefer things a certain ways. I have opinions on just about everything, from the clothes people wear (or I wear), to movies, to trends, to politics. I’m a bit of a church snob too, in that, I know what I like and don’t like in  a church, for example.

What some people would call snobbery, I call being opinionated and stating your preferences. And as long as it is done so with an air of humility and with the understanding that you can’t take anything to seriously, I say bring on the snob.

Now you might be asking yourself…”Am I a snob too?” “How would I know?” “What does a snob look like?”

 

Well here are 10 ways too tell if you too might be a bit of a snob…(go ahead, I know you’re curious) Continue reading 10 Ways to Tell if You are a Snob

Favorite (Summer) Things

Well, it is officially summer, which, in most parts of the United States, brings about elation and joy. I, however, reside in a city that happens to be about 20 feet away from the sun–Scottsdale, Arizona.

Yesterday, the city issued a heat advisory warning as we all watched the temperature climb to a scorching 110 degrees. And that ain’t nothin’. We will reach the 120s by July. Reminder: I am pregnant. Actually, I am really pregnant. I’m due at the end of summer. Oh, lucky me.

But, for all of my complaining about the heat, I really do love summer. I have such great memories of my childhood summers in particular. Now, as my kids grow older, I get to watch them experience some of the same adventures.

Here are my Favorite (Summer) Things for Friday, including some good grub, sweat, bodies of water, and tropical cocktails… Continue reading Favorite (Summer) Things

15 Things You Shouldn’t Say or Do to Your Single Friends

Today’s post is from Ally Spotts, who has a rockin’ blog where she discusses faith, relationships, and life in general. Her new project is Prodigal Magazine, which she and her husband now run. Check it out, too.

I’ve been single for quite some time now and after all these years I’ve gotten pretty good at it.

Although, of all the things that you want to be “good” at in life, I’m not sure that being single is one of them… It depends on whom you ask, I guess.

Anyway, in all this time I’ve spent being single I’ve learned a thing or two about a thing or two, and one of the things I’ve learned is that married people sometimes say and do the weirdest things to their single friends.

It’s like the minute they visit the alter they instantly forget what it was like to be single…

Don’t get me wrong. I know that my married friends have the best intentions. But since I care, and since I’m bored and lonely and sitting home all alone on a Friday night (just kidding) here is my attempt to point you in the right direction.

Here are 15 Things You Should Never Say/Do To Your Single Friends… Continue reading 15 Things You Shouldn’t Say or Do to Your Single Friends

My Biggest Mistake as a Christian

I had worked with Kate at a restaurant waiting tables. We had classes together in college. We were even lab partners in biology.

Our friendship grew as we spent more and more time together. She shared with me about her boyfriend drama. I shared with her about church and God.

She quickly knew I was a Christian. Slowly, she showed more and more interest in this “church thing.” Before I knew it, Kate was joining me for my Thursday night college church group. She sat crying during service one night.

She began asking pointed questions about Jesus and salvation. Her own salvation seemed eminent. But then I messed up the whole darn thing and made one the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made as a Christian. Continue reading My Biggest Mistake as a Christian

God Block

I don’t really suffer from writer’s block. I suffer from writer’s motivation. I always have tons of ideas. I don’t, however, always have the motivation to write down the ideas.

What I often suffer from, however, is God block. Think of God block in terms of writer’s block. Writer’s block is defined as “A usually temporary psychological inability to begin or continue work on a piece of writing.”

Well, God block is my “usually temporary psychological inability to begin or continue working in God’s Kingdom.” Basically, when God block sets in, I convince myself that I have nothing to offer God or His people. I might as well stay home.

Besides the obvious problems, God block prevents me from serving in the ways I desire. It prevents me from loving in the ways I am called to love. And in some ways, God block stifles my creativity because, instead of focusing on others, I turn inward and become self-focused.

Self-focus does not write my blog. Something else does entirely…. Continue reading God Block