Flower of a prickly pear plant “Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;” Psalm 98:4 NIV As I look around me, the desert seems to be bursting forth in song to the Lord, God its creator. Prickly pear cactus shout in brilliant yellow, while giant saguaros trumpet forth in white bursts that carefully quiet within at night. Strawberry hedgehogs and scraggly chollas display splashes of God’s pallete in … Continue reading →
Dear Amy, When the latest blow of pain sliced through my heart like a knife, you stood beside me with your ever-present gift of comfort and tender sensitivity to my words and hurt. But your face registered a look I’d never seen before, and it sent a wave of tremors through my insides. You looked Stunned. Shocked. Incredulous. Twenty minutes later as you moved around the room, you said, “Wow. I’m just having a hard time comprehending this. Two … Continue reading →
Around certain holidays of the year, our family has come to expect that their popular potato dish will find its way to the dining room table. Known in other circles and among other cooks as “Hash Brown Potato Casserole,” the history of how this dish made its way into our family is as infamous as this mouth-watering taste treat. While scurrying through the grocery store one year during a pre-holiday food-prep frenzy, youngest (who was in middle … Continue reading →
He is not here; He is risen, just as He said…Matthew 28:6 NIV The morning began under a shady tree on a grassy slope as strains of worship filled the air. While a whisper of wind built hopes of keeping the outdoor service cool, the Arizona hot ball of yellow soon beamed steamy rays on our church family. But the worshipers were undaunted as their hearts lifted praises to the Risen Savior. Greetings rang out. “He is … Continue reading →
Each year on Holy Saturday, we have a family tradition. The making of Italian Easter Bread. This mildy sweet breakfast bread with its creamy, sweet glaze and five colored eggs poking up is a symbol of the Risen Christ. For our family, for my parents before me, and for my grandparents before them, it was a sacred Holy Saturday tradition to prepare the bread for Easter morning. Much like Christ’s body was prepared for burial–only to rise on that … Continue reading →
“Jacob’s Dream”, a sculpture at Abilene Christian University, Texas draws one to the Light breaking through the sculpture that forms a cross. “You see, at just the right time, when we were powerless, Christ died for the ungodly…”Romans 5:6 NIV So often we hear Scriptures about Christ’s love for us even before we were saved but like words we’ve heard so frequently, they fail to register with our hearts. Yesterday, the Scriptures in Romans 5:1-11 struck a … Continue reading →
It’s been a while since I’ve listed the many joys the Lord has lovingly spread across my path. To see His hand turn the simplest moment into a joy has filled my heart with delight. When I forget to write down the day’s joys, I look back later at that day and am amazed at how many things He has turned into a joy. I still need to train myself to see the joys as they are happening. What … Continue reading →
