A Lesson in Influence from the Lepers
Have you ever thought about the influence of the ungrateful lepers? I’m not Jesus, but as a teacher, I understand just a little bit what he must have felt like. #influence #teacher #miracle #leper #love
How to be a Better Grandparent
I’ll admit, having a grandson for 2.5 years probably doesn’t make me an expert in grandparenting. But I have learned a thing or two along the way. Being a better grandparent begins with being a better parent. When your children grow up enough to get married or get pregnant (no matter what the order), it’s time for you to release them. They turn into friends and you get to forget that you ever changed their dirty diapers and used to…
Praying the Promise of Immanuel: God with Us
An airline, an agent, and a travel miracle. Unexpected things happen when we pray the promise of Immanuel–God with us. Expect that God will be with you–but don’t try to define how. #Advent #miracle #travel
I Still Remember My First Poem
I still remember my first poem. Do you? I’d love to hear your story. #fmfparty #poetry
Who Does Your Body Belong to?
Who does your body belong to, and does ownership matter to understanding healthy self-care? Does it Really Matter What I Eat? Who could imagine that healthy eating is a form of self-care? I didn’t realize this until after my husband’s bout with cancer. Sure, I’d grown up vegetarian, and could recite the benefits of a plant-based diet from the cradle. But that didn’t mean that I actually used food to nourish and care for myself. Instead, I used it as…
The Complete Guide to Breaking Vegetarian
Coming Soon! The Complete Guide to Breaking Vegetarian! Part of self-care involves the way we treat our physical selves—and that means more than just a complete exercise regimen. What we put into our body can help us or hurt us, too. Next month, I’ll have a 31-day series on ‘breaking vegetarian.’ You might think it odd that a life-long vegetarian would have anything to say about giving up meat. But I’ll give you an insider’s look at healthy and healthy…
Why Jesus Made the Woman Talk to the Crowd
The Woman and the Crowd The woman slunk through the crowd, knowing full well her uncleanliness made her a pariah. What if a neighbor noticed and raised a ruckus? What if she brushed against someone else, passing her uncleanliness on to unsuspecting spectators in the jostling crowd. Physician after physician had prescribed their questionable remedies. Eat this. Don’t eat that. Purge your heart of unrepented sins and offer sacrifices in the temple. Nothing helped. If only she could quietly reach…
What Happens When We Give Up Control?
I Can’t Control the Rain Each evening I take a walk by the gully, around the back of the school property. Sometimes, lightning flashes on the horizon, and rain clouds threaten. After a hard rain, the mud shrivels as it dries, leaving a curled-edge puzzle scattered across the gully flats. The desert sun beats down and dries the clay-like mud that shatters if you toss or step on it. This year seems different. The monsoons came late and the desert…
How Loyalty Can Ruin Your Need for Self-Care
Can Loyalty be a Bad Thing? First, let’s look at the definition of the word loyalty (noun): the quality or state of being loyal. Loyal, the root of loyalty, means the quality of being unswerving in allegiance to a country, person, or cause. On the surface, loyalty looks like a good thing, right? Maybe. I know for a fact that loyalty to my husband caused me to gain 55 pounds and lose my health for three years. When he experienced…
Why You Need to Learn How to Lead Like a Woman
This week’s installment of Self-Care Sunday delves into the academic realm. Your kids aren’t the only ones who can go back to school this month! Learn how to lead so people will follow. If you click on a link to a book, please know that I’m an Amazon affiliate (but it won’t change the price of the book). Lead Like a Woman Don’t get me wrong. Some men are great leaders, and some women are horrible leaders. But this summer…
