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Encouragement for every season of lifeChristmas Books Worth Reading
Every December I like to read a book or two relating to Christmas. I’ve read my share of corny and predictable Christmas stories but I’m not writing about those. However, there are a few that I think you’ll find worth your time. Christmas Jars – by Jason F. Wright I...
10 Strategies for Eliminating Christmas Stress
While speaking at a Christmas event, I asked the women who among them LOVED Christmas. A few of them raised their hand. Then I asked which of them felt like Christmas really isn’t the most wonderful time of the year. More than half of the hands went up! I’m not even...
Quick and Easy Risotto
This time of year equals all things warm, cozy, and hearty to keep us sane during winter in Minnesota. Although the weather has been mild so far, I am looking for healthy, easy meals that last more than one dinner because--let’s get real--momma wants to get as close...
Don’t Wait.
I've got a birthday looming. And while it’s always fun to start the morning with a free coffee from my favorite coffee chain and perhaps snag a free birthday dinner on a date with the hubs, each year I'm growing precariously closer to a new decade - one that involves...
Let there be Peace
"Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me," I sing as I sit at my piano, picking out and practicing songs for two upcoming Christmas performances. I have so many Christmas favorites, and it gets hard to narrow my set list down to my top twelve. But as I...
The Skill of Receiving
Last month, I stopped into the Hallmark Visitor Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on the way home from a road trip. As I was walking through the self-guided tour, I came across one exhibit displaying an array of resin crowns decorated by employees to celebrate the...
What I Learned Because of Missing Pants and Muffin Tops
About to drive to pick up my sister and head to the airport and our final destination, a beloved blogging and writing conference called Allume, I have everything planned. Getting up early, I plan to sneak quietly out of my house, so as not to wake anyone else up....
The Hidden Thought Life
Justification. Reasoning through our human nature. These are very real areas in which we humans struggle all too often. We don’t like to talk about it. We don’t like to admit it. Yet the struggle is real in our thought life, both sexual and non-sexual. Oftentimes, we...
DIY: Family Thankfulness Journal
I’ve always been amazed how the day is glossed over. Sandwiched between the picked-over shelves of leftover costumes and candy no one will ever eat and the jingle bells of Christmas trees, Thanksgiving receives absolutely no fanfare. If retail stores are the gauge for...
A Prayer 10 Years in the Making
When my dear friend Katrina died after a 5-year battle with breast cancer, I was beyond angry at God. After a couple of weeks of avoiding God altogether, I sat down one afternoon and told him how angry I was at him for taking Kate instead of healing her body. During...
