Have you ever experienced a moment of crystal clarity and utter peace? A moment when heaven beams down into your life, and everything comes into focus? That happened to me two days ago. Just like other rare appetizers of future glory I've been blessed to taste, this one came unexpectedly. Sunday night, we had gathered to celebrate an early Christmas with our son Sam and his new bride, since they will spend Christmas with Jameson's family. After a sumptuous meal, we make our way to the living room to exchange a few gifts. Picture the animated grandkids: Continue Reading
Why You Can’t Afford to Ignore the Hard Words of Jesus
It's almost Christmas, the season where we focus on Jesus as a helpless babe lying in a manger, gentle, meek and mild. But Jesus isn't a magic baby. He's our living Lord. And truth be told, he isn't so very meek and mild. I've been reading Luke this month, a chapter a day. I want to remind myself again of who Jesus really is. I want to listen to his words, life-giving and soul-shredding all at once. It's one thing to live by the Golden Rule. How about some of Jesus' more difficult words? Here are some in Luke's gospel: Jesus said we should Continue Reading
Can Shame Have a Positive Effect on Your Life?
So I'm on this gleeful rampage of cleaning out my files, and I run across an article I'd clipped ten years ago. It's entitled "Shame May Not Be So Bad After All." In this still-timely article, Dr. Joyce Brothers articulates the difference between good shame and bad shame. Here's an example of bad shame: My Kindergarten teacher regularly called me "Slowpoke." She didn't realize until I was in first grade that I had only recently learned English and needed time to mentally translate her instructions from English to German. Bad shame humiliates and makes Continue Reading
What to do When You’re Not Proud of Your Attitude
It's time for another true confession. Remember the Disney driver's education movies starring Goofy? (This reveals my age, but that's not what I'm embarrassed about.) Goofy plays the kind, friendly Mr. Walker when he is a pedestrian -- but put him behind the wheel of a car, and he morphs into the crabby, impatient, self-righteous Mr. Wheeler. Gone is Mr. Walker's warm smile; in its place is Mr. Wheeler's glowering countenance, angry voice and heavy hand on the horn. I've been That Lady, way too many times. Oh, I might not honk much, but my attitude when Continue Reading