Amazing Grace is one of my all-time favorite songs. Written by a former slave-trader who lived a less- than-stellar life before he met Christ, this usage defines grace as God’s eternal, life-saving, undeserved favor. The origins of grace in Latin are related to thankfulness --and in Greek, to rejoicing. God is thankful and rejoices over us when we recognize and accept his graciousness (Isaiah … [Read more...]
The Kids Are Alright
It’s hard not to feel as if the world’s on the brink of collapse these days. Five minutes of the evening news is enough to warrant Zantac. It doesn’t help that I write on policy (among other things), and so I am often online digesting politics with my morning cereal. Guess what? Politics doesn’t naturally lead to gratitude. Who knew. Right now, people seem inscrutable, rhetoric is flammable, … [Read more...]
FILTERED Thoughts and Words Are a Little Slice of Heaven
Filtering my thoughts and words isn’t easy and it doesn’t always turn out pretty. They often come pouring from my mind through my mouth like a coffee maker without a filter. (Sipping on coffee grounds is simply unpleasant!) I’ve improved over time and I always work to reflect the Lord, but I have certainly not arrived. I can act refined with proper statements and politeness, but underlying what … [Read more...]
Double the Fun
It seems a strange thing to be grateful for, but I’m thankful both boys are on the spectrum. Not every day. But most days. Weird, right? But I get good things in twos: Both boys love to slam each other on the ground, on each other, on the bed. They love the pressure of their daily matches, and neither one complains that the other is being too rough. That’s because short of a puncture wound, … [Read more...]
Stop Renting God’s Word, Start Owning God’s Word
We were dealing with serious meltdowns with our son Connor. He would go into a frenzy when he didn’t get his way, and we knew it wasn’t just a child acting out. It seemed like a stronghold in his life that we could not help him work through. I remember one time Connor got so upset that he threw himself on the floor and started slapping his hands on the tile of our house. Then he got up and ran … [Read more...]
When You Know Too Much
This summer our family embarked upon the grand adventure of multi-generational living. It began in May when our daughter, her husband, and their then 13-month-old son moved into our upstairs as they transition from starving graduate student status to starving artists status. The adventure is going well, everyone is adjusting, and my husband and I love sharing every day life with our … [Read more...]