Sweet October, how I adore thee, with orange themed decor, hot cider and more, pumpkins galore, goblins at my door, and the leaves twirling down from the trees. Sweet October, I adore thee.
Oh, October! How I abhor you, with your trick or treat and “smell my feet”, goblins and fears, increased nightmares, endless sweets and scares, such a mixed brew, of what will we do. Oh, October, I abhor you.
I wrote this silly little poem, as I contemplated my love-hate relationship with what I call, the season of scary. Fall and Winter are my favorite times of the year, so truly I do love the months October through February most.
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Technology frustrates me. Can I get an Amen from anybody?
I’ve been wrestling with a technical issue and, as of this writing, we haven’t been able to resolve it. I say “we” because the problem is beyond my ability to fix, so I’m paying someone to fix it for me.
Yes I have a degree in computer science, which makes me think I should have the upper hand on technical problems. But I earned that degree back in the 80s, so more than a few things have changed since then. Besides shoulder pads and big hair.
And technology is changing so fast it’s hard to keep up.
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Everyone has secrets. Even secrets from spouses. As much as I share with my husband – and it’s a lot – he still doesn’t know every thought, idea, wish and dream that swims around in my head. Even teenage “besties” (oh how I wish only teenagers used that term) don’t disclose 100%. Just not possible.
No one really reads mind, thank goodness and knows all of another’s thoughts, feelings, hopes & dreams. Can we can even go so far as to say no one knows every aspect of themselves either? That we don’t even really completely know ourselves?
Ever have someone tell you something they’ve observed in you that surprised you?
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The Ministry of Invitation
It feels good to be invited to something, doesn’t it? Invitations speak of a level of inclusion and acceptance that warms our heart. Remember how important invitations were when you were growing up? Life’s greatest joys and trials often revolved around being included and invited.
Remember?
Don’t wait to be invited.
Invitations can be easy to overlook in the midst of our over-croweded schedules. We forget how powerful an invitation can be to encourage, include, initiate, develop and deepen relationships.
How many of us hope for others to invite us, yet we neglect to invite as well?
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I used to be a church lady.
Almost like the well-known TV character that makes us laugh, but she also makes me very sad. Sad, because I know her. Sad because I recognize the fear that motivates her. She acted superior but she did not feel superior, she felt afraid.
In her mind, God was an extremely difficult and unreachable being who set up a series of unreachable standards that were requirements for entry into Heaven. The idea of a friendship with God here on earth was not even considered. Life was all about getting the points piled up by doing good here, so that we will be issued a ticket that said, “Well done, you may enter your reward.”
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I remember as a teenager having to program the VCR* for my parents. It was new and tricky for them, but came naturally for me.
Today, as a parent, I’m now on the other side with social media. It seems every day there is a new app for yet another way to keep in touch. I find it overwhelming, but for the teens, and even much younger kids, downloading and setting up profiles comes naturally.
Like it or not, life has changed, and to keep up and protect our kids, we need to be aware of what they are doing online.
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I was having a very difficult time coping with a miscarriage when a friend asked, “Can’t they put Prozac on your corn flakes or something?”
It was a well-meaning question, but at the heart of it was the idea that I should be over it. I shouldn’t still be grieving.
I’m Not the Only One
Some time later, I spoke to a women’s group about what the Lord had taught me through that very painful miscarriage.
A woman came up to me and said that decades after her miscarriage, she was under anesthesia for an unrelated surgery and the medical staff told her that she had been crying about her loss.
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Written by Guest Contributor – Barb Raveling
I was driving down I-90 throwing cookies out the window at 75 miles per hour. My husband and I had just gotten married and were heading back to Montana in our little green Datsun pickup.
It was the only way I could keep myself from eating all the leftover wedding cookies.
I’ve had a problem with overeating since I was young – back in the days when they used to call me Butterball. Eating was that one thing in life I thought I’d never be able to get control of.
I was wrong. About 12 years ago, God showed me a discipline that has changed my life in so many ways.
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