It's the time for fall harvest, colorful autumn leaves, fresh apple cider, pumpkin picking, candy, and costumes. I have loved dressing up in costume since I was a little girl. My creativity and imagination are always stirred when I get to choose who or what I want to dress up as, and then create a costume to bring it to life. I've never been a big fan of off-the-rack costumes. I love the adventure of going to thrift stores to find items that I can use to create costumes that

Yesterday I came face to face with another lie that I've believed my entire life. I was first confronted with it almost twenty years ago when my counselor told me I must learn to set boundaries in my relationships. She explained that healthy relationships exist when there are clear boundary lines. I've only been brave enough to enter the boxing ring and duke it out with this lie occasionally. When I have mustered the courage to have a face-off and enforce healthy boundaries,

Last week I began to have an overwhelmingly anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I haven't been able to shake it. It feels sort of like a combination of too much sugar, caffeine, and adrenaline all rolled into one, except I haven’t gone overboard on any of those lately. It has kept me awake into the wee hours of the last four nights. Amazingly, our bodies have the ability to be aware of and process life before our minds even recognize what's going on. So, what has be

As the Fourth of July approaches, I thought I would brush up on the historical facts of our country. I did an online search and was struck by the words that I read on Wikipedia. I know this federal holiday commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States on July 4, 1776, but there was something I read that resonated deep within me that I could not ignore. “The Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies were no longer sub

We often use sticky notes to help us remember to do important things. We stick them in places that will call our attention to items that need to be addressed. I have come to believe that recurring thoughts, dreams, and memories of painful experiences from our past are much like sticky notes. They are reminders. They are red flags that catch our attention. The problem is we often ignore them, push them aside, or stuff them deeper into our pile of emotions without realizing the

Like many people, my children find it easy to honor and celebrate their father. Many fathers exemplify Faithfulness. They are Affirming, Trustworthy, Honest, Encouraging, and Reliable. May God bless you and magnify the beauty you bestow on your children. However, this was not my experience. Father’s Day left me feeling empty inside for many years. Maybe your story is similar to mine and you can relate. How do you honor someone you are terrified of? How do you honor someone yo

June 11th, 2019. Today would be my 31st wedding anniversary. I never imagined I would be facing this day alone. I always thought Randy and I would grow old together. I am a romantic, so I envisioned it like a storybook ending... we would be holding hands lying next to each other and then gently drift off heavenward in close proximity. It seems nothing in life turns out quite the way we envision it. Those dashed hopes, unmet expectations, and shattered dreams can be very diffi

It is not possible to go through life without experiencing loss in some form. Every one of us will come face-to-face with grief at some point in our life. Loss and pain are inevitable. The only thing in question is what we will choose to do with the grief. Loss can come in many forms, some more devastating than others. Some are temporary, some are permanent. It reminds me of the areas impacted by the recent tornadoes. When you look at the path a tornado takes you see some hom

When was the last time someone hurt you deeply? How did you deal with it? Is that your normal response when you are hurting? When someone has hurt me deeply and I am really struggling with the pain, I like to eat a row (or two) of Oreos or work my way through a pan of brownies, and then wash them down with a tall glass of ice-cold milk. But, my most frequent source of solace is grabbing a half-gallon of ice cream from the freezer and a spoon (actually only 1.5 quarts now, wha

As Passover and Easter draw near, it is a time to remember and celebrate God's love for his children and His all-surpassing power to set us free from the chains that bind us. I wrote this poem many years ago as I was reflecting on God's tenderness and love. I hope it speaks to someone who is also hurting and broken, someone who is desperate to be loved, but you aren’t sure if that is even possible anymore... Take My Hand Dear Child Our Father in heaven knew just what to do He

It is so easy to believe you are worthless when you continually feel less than. Do you feel like you never measure up no matter what you do? Are you unable to feel satisfied with your work because you can only see the things you could have done better? Do you constantly compare yourself to others, secretly wishing you could be more like them? Do you have thoughts that begin with “If only I was…” and you can fill in the rest with a multitude of things… smarter, prettier, thinn

With the recent loss of two precious lives in my surrounding community, this topic is still heavy on my heart. This message is one I continue to feel compelled to share. I believe that our society’s perspective on mental health, suicide, and the stigma that surrounds it must change. We need to deal with it out in the open. This complex problem is all around us and we cannot continue to deny it or try to hide it any longer. The things we try to hide because we feel ashamed oft

With the beginning of a new year come thoughts of starting fresh with a clean slate. It is like having an opportunity for a do-over. It is a time to re-evaluate and set new goals. It is also a time to look inward and humbly accept responsibility for areas of our life that need a little work. Sometimes, if we are really honest with ourselves, we begin to recognize that some of our attitudes and behaviors towards others are less than stellar. If we are being brutally honest wit