There is so much noise and bright lights, all around me. So many waving me over because they want my attention, my agreement, my subscription. Everything is “good”, “on point”, “trending” within the circles of information, trying to swallow me up and pull me down into some new rabbit trail, some “key” “cutting edge” direction […]
Our Changing Worldview
1 Cor 13:11a “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; When I was a child, my whole entire view was about me. My immediate surroundings, how big everything seemed, my interactions with family members, wanting to be liked and approved-of by everyone […]
The Verse Everyone Quotes
We hear and see this everywhere in America— “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life…” This is the cornerstone of the foundation of the Body of Christ. It’s no secret that there are a ridiculous amount of […]
Transformed By Transcendence
I used to hold the collateral damage in Stuff it way down deep Keep it out of sight Like it was nothing but a junk heap. I used to care about What people thought But then I woke up I’m different– so what？ I’ve lived an intense life There are depths I know Created through […]
Strength Of Endurance
God made me to be strong. I’m not as physically strong as I once was, but emotionally He helps to keep me strong. He helps me exercise my emotional muscles through daily circumstances, and special circumstances that both test and increase that strength. God designed me to be able to carry a lot. When I […]
More Than A Glimpse
To catch just a glimpse of what God is doing in the earth is an amazing privilege! He is busy, changing hearts and minds. He is actively working to bring about unity, undermining the enemies of humanity and of Himself, at every turn. He is constantly aware of every heart’s cry, every tear shed behind […]
Last Of The Mohicans with Jewels Photography
When I Was A Young Lass
I’m getting older. I can’t deny it. I can stop counting years when I celebrate my birthdays, but I can’t stop aging– as much as I’d like to freeze a few years at a time. And, to make things even trickier– my birthdays happen so much faster than they used to! My birthday was a […]
The Ego and the Communicator
Have you ever been in situations where people glean off of your success, and get embarrassed by your failures? Have there been people who change their treatment of you based on your performance or appearance? Are there those in your life who have attached their ego to their expectation of you, and then communication becomes […]
Foolhardy Judgement
How many times do we hear something and jump to a conclusive opinion without actually looking into things for ourselves? Examples I see everyday are critics of Christianity, political opponents, public school supporters against home educators, race criticizing race, Christian critics of anything secular… I’m sure you can think of many I haven’t listed here, […]
From The Darkness Of Despair To Hope: The Future’s Light
I have darkness in my past. In my 20/20 hindsight view, there are things I’ve said and done, parts of who I used to be that I deeply, deeply regret. I was young and foolish, brought up in a culture that never mentioned accountability or conscience, my immaturity and lack of common sense mixed with […]
Marriage 101: Arguing
My husband and I got into an argument earlier today, about politics. We agree on some points, and are polar opposites on others. It’s not the disagreeing that is the argument for me, though, because we could easily be having a discussion and disagree. It’s his reactions to me, the person behind what he disagrees […]
My Open Letter To Pastors Everywhere– You Need To Get This
Dear Pastors, Over the past 20 years I have been moved from place to place, sometimes by God, sometimes for personal reasons. That is why I’m writing this. I am no one special. I have no title, no grand purpose or calling. I am like many within your flock, under your care– part of your […]
Me, Myself And My Husband– One Flesh
My husband doesn’t do things the way that I do. He doesn’t say things the way I say them. He doesn’t look at things the way I see them. He doesn’t have the same Political views that I have… When we married, we were taught through God’s Word that his body is my body, and […]
Loneliness
Flavor without substance. Friendship without depth. Words without communication. Belief without someone to believe in. These are what time is like without you.
Why I Am This Way, And How It Applies To My Dating Daughter
I grew up a fighter. At a time when women were belittled– not taken seriously while harassed for wanting to break out of the “norm” set for us by men– I decided not to just accept that, but to push past it. I have dealt with that issue head-on for many years now. From […]
Rediscovery
I played with my youngest boy today. Without having my phone in the same room with me. I tickled his feet, and tried to hit him with a small pillow, which he kept karate-kicking away. He giggled. I laughed. Undistracted. It was just like when my 3 other kids were little and I didn’t […]
Where Does The Body of Christ End?
We became members of a local church just before my husband received a new assignment. It’s not the first time that has happened to us, but this time we had begun thinking about possibly retiring to the area we were in. So, as is often the case with our family situation, we switched gears […]
What Do Women Really Want?
There are too many things competing for your attention, and your affection– those things the woman in your life most deserves.
Reblog: What You Should Never Say to Your Hairstylist
I Once Was Not A Christian
I have had a lot of experiences in my lifetime. Way too many to write about here. I’ll break it down into two parts: Before Christ and After Christ. I’ll even throw in some Why I CHOSE Christ, for added tangibility. So, BC: I was born into a family that loved me, but that love […]
Worth
Comfortable In My Faith
Do you find yourself being a reactionary or responsive Christian? I want to be responsive, but I have reactive tendencies far too often. My reflex at feeling attacked, questioned, put on the spot or called names like hypocrite used to be to jump into action and find Scripture to back up my actions, words and […]
So What?
This is what my insides feel like every time I try to write my story. Gut-wrenched. I describe that feeling to my husband as killer moths flapping around in my tummy. Every time I tell a portion of my story it feels like someone reached inside of me and yanked a piece of me out. […]
Un-rule-y Status Update
Here are 15 things on my mind I probably won’t say over a Facebook status:
How Can We Identify With Jesus?
Originally posted on Jemtree's Heart Renewed:
A woman sat at His feet and poured her very best, most expensive bottle of perfumed oil over them. She had just finished washing them with her tears and drying them with her hair. Another woman had been talking with Jesus at the one well everyone in that…
My Healthwatch Update
I have been taking this supplement twice a day along with a dose or two of Turmeric for 2-3 weeks now. I notice when I take it with coconut oil, it works better. I also take Vitamin D and Fish oil. Sometimes I add in garlic and ginger. What I have noticed is my […]
387 hours!
Originally posted on Annalise Hope:
Hello my wonderful family and friends! I cannot believe it has been 16 days since the birth of our sweet little Annalise Hope! The girl who was only supposed to live for an hour… has now made it for about 387 hours! Talk about a fighter who wants to beat…
What’s In An Opinion?
I have always liked people. Anyone who really knows me, knows it’s kind of my nature to try to put others before myself. Sometimes I’m clumsy about it, often I appear to just be trying too hard. OK– yeah, I try too hard. Always I just want others to know they […]
Perspective
Originally posted on Jemtree's Heart Renewed:
This is my 3 year old’s toy tornado. This is my silicone funnel that I bought at the 100 Yen store. Perspective. Perspectives are like opinions: everyone has one. Like noses. My perspective comes from a different view of life than yours does. My experiences factor into it.…
9/11: 13 Years Later
My daughter asked me what today’s date is, and as I glanced at my calendar and told her, the date slapped me across my consciousness. September 11. Wow. So much significance in that date, and yet, this year for the first time, it caught me off my guard. 13 years ago, when our country was […]
Embracing Pain and Fear
Do you know Who you belong to? Do you believe on Him so deeply, that no amount of pain or suffering will manipulate you into relenting and turning away?
How To Build A Mom
The first item needed is the promise of a child. This usually begins with a growing belly and cravings for strange foods that defy human logic. Like a cheese and mint jelly sandwich. Variations include the promise of a pet, adopting a child, and investing in the life of another. Next thing needed might be a […]
The Truth About My Mom-In-Law
The strengths of my mother-in-law stand out so clearly for me. She has been a wonderful example of being strong, courageous and faithful. Sensitive Traditional Righteous Observant Noteworthy Gentle Concise Outspoken Unrelenting Respectable Amazing Giving Encouraging Overjoyed Unique Smart Fabulous Ardent Intuitive Thoughtful […]
My Mom Is One Of A Kind
The things I learned from my mom are perseverance, strength, wisdom and loyalty. My mom is: Practical Economically minded Resourceful Supportive Effective Valuable Excellent Rational Authentic Needed Courteous Encouraging Strong-willed Tenacious Realistic Engaging Necessary Generous Thoughtful Humorous Wise Intentional Selfless Daring Outgoing Magnanimous Logical Original Yielded to God Ambitious […]
Elements of Critique: Dialogue
Originally posted on SonWorshiper:
My teenage son is constantly getting into trouble with Mom. It’s because of his mouth. “The problem’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” With dialogue the problem can be both. First, I need to know who’s talking. That means attribution tags are important to include as early into…
Celebrity Suicide: I Don’t Care
Everyone in the media, and everyone who watches, reads, or listens to the news or any form of media, should read this.
Before and After: A Matter of Perspective
It’s been 2 months since my dad’s passing, wow, to the day. My timing isn’t planned, just lucky coincidence. This picture accurately represents something unexpected for me. My dad is smiling here. He was happy because my husband was able to visit him. When my dad was alive, it […]
Church “Home”
I feel so blessed that this time as we transition, we are leaving an actual church home. Not just because we chose to become members and begin to lay down roots. No. There are many facets in why we stayed with this church until God, through the military, chose to move us on from the […]
Missed
I’ve said goodbye to an extraordinary amount of people during my lifetime. So many, I’ve lost count. Different phases, stages, careers and places I’ve moved on from. This past year I’ve lost 4 people near to my heart, to death: 2 sisters in Christ that I admired deeply, my dad, and my middle school music mentor […]
Remember Me?
Lots of people make a fuss to get gifts for loved ones during the Christmas season. For some, it’s just about checking people off of a list. For others, it’s about spending as little money and/or time as possible. For others, it’s about really looking for that “perfect” gift for […]
15 Things I Wish I’d Known About Grief
Originally posted on Identity Renewed:
After a year of grief, I’ve learned a lot. I’ve also made some mistakes along the way. Today, I jotted down 15 things I wish I’d known about grief when I started my own process. I pass this onto anyone on the journey. 1. You will feel like the world…
Individually One Flesh
Mark 10:8 “and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh.” (NASB) Marriage is the most unique relationship between humans. When a man and woman marry, it takes time to learn how to live together. How to agree and disagree. Whether or […]
What Will Greater Things Look and Sound Like?
John 14:12 NASV “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5_TOOXRpn8w#t=247 As my soul drinks in this song linked above, some questions come to mind. What will the […]
Bondage Gospel: Good News?
Mark16:14-15 (NLT) Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead. “And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News […]
United We Stand
God has sure been stirring up a lot of things in my heart and thoughts lately. One of the recurring issues I deal with is that I am still missing out on a father figure for my life. I understand that Scripture teaches us that God is our Heavenly Father, and He has never disappointed […]
In All Things Charity
Originally posted on Wanton Disregard for Safety:
I am amazed when I consider how some Christians handle conflict. Some people seem content to throw the figurative grenade into the room, then pick up the pieces and see what’s left. No really, that’s pretty much a quote I was given as one person’s method of conflict…
Being An Enabler Is Good
Isaiah 57:14 “And it will be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people.”” We’ve all heard the phrase and warning, “Don’t be an enabler“. I grew up thinking there is only one definition and only one way to enable: to allow, encourage or make […]
Only An Internet Message Away
Many of us have lost a friend or loved one that left us a bit bewildered as to why God choose to take them. I have, recently. I can’t say I knew her very well. We joked, we chatted about Scripture and natural foods, and we shared prayer concerns. She once watched my kids at […]
Pound of Flesh… or Soda
Originally posted on SonWorshiper:
I chugged the last of my third can of Diet Mountain Dew (or Mtn Dew, as the label now reads), and I listened to the radio news on the way home from work. If it’s not sugary, I can have a billion ounces, right? “A court in New York struck down…
Jemtree's Heart 