Have you ever gone into the store for one thing and come out with something completely different?  You go in for clothes and come out with a new set of dishes (relax, they were on clearance).  Or you make a quick stop for milk and come out with 4 half-gallons of ice cream?  This happens to me all the time, and not just at Target.  In my defense, some of the things I have purchased this way have become favorites. 

“Mom, I want to study abroad next semester.” Sounds innocent enough, right?  But she had something specific in mind.  As I write this, my daughter is enjoying a semester abroad…in Rwanda, Africa.  No, there was no talking her into a semester in Europe.  So my husband and I prayed.  We prayed about whether we should […]

As Christian parents, we know our children ultimately belong to the Lord and we are only given them for a little while.  Easy to say, right?  But doesn’t it create the most important balancing act of our lives?  That tension between doing too little and holding on too tightly?  When my three kiddos were young, they knew Mom and Dad would consider each situation regardless of what “all the other kids” were doing.  They thought I worried too much.  And maybe I did. 

How often are we so distracted by the “extras” on the sandwich of our life that we forget the main thing?  I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a neighbor, an office manager, a stranger to passers-by, and the list goes on.  Each of these roles brings its own set of responsibilities and expectations.

Isn’t it nice when someone is happy to see you?  Every time I turn my key in the lock I know as soon as I open my front door, I will be greeted with tail-wagging excitement by our family dog, Tucker. 

Many in the world today understand the importance of looking around to be aware of others in need, so we can help. As a Christian I know that the Bible both encourages and commands us to care for others. But the Lord tells us that even before we look out to others, we should first look up to Him. The first 15 verses of Psalm 105 are also recorded in 1 Chronicles 16:8-22. There is a lot of meaningful stuff in these passages and Psalm 105:4 is no exception: “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” (NIV). The Amplified Bible puts it this way: “Seek and deeply long for the Lord and His strength [His power, His might]; Seek and deeply long for His face and His presence continually.” I can’t continually seek God’s face if I am only paying attention to my own agenda—even when my agenda is filled with things that are good or even necessary.