God is not a finger pointing God. He is an open arms God. It’s easy to get caught up in the “should-haves,” isn’t it? “I should have tried harder… Should have spent more time with family… Should have saved more money… Should have been kinder… Should have taken better care of myself…” Ugh. These should haves usually send us down a slippery water slide into a pool of regrets and sadness. And the more time we dwell on what we think we should have done, or wished we would have done differently, the deeper we plunge into the deep Continue Reading
A Prayer for These Days
Lord, our hearts ache, our questions are so numerous, and our anger and frustrations run deep. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. For the people in Haiti, we ask for protection. Give divine wisdom to the leaders that results in smart decisions and responses for the people impacted by the devastating earthquake. You who stopped the squalling winds and torrential rains, we ask that you still the ground. Keep boulders and roofs and rocks in place. For the precious children in orphanages, wrap your loving arms around their little hearts Continue Reading
Behind Closed Doors
It’s one of my favorite books in the pure entertainment and fun category. And it's a memoir. (That's my always favorite category.) Little House in the Hollywood Hills: A Bad Girl's Guide to Becoming Miss Beadle, Mary X, and Me by Charlotte Stewart. I remember Charlotte Stewart as the actor who played Miss Beadle on Little House on the Prairie, and vaguely remember her as Betty Briggs from the Twin Peaks TV show. Miss Beadle was the delightful school marm that taught Laura and Mary in Walnut Grove, the single teacher who always presented Continue Reading
Purple Hot Pants
School Carnival. Climax, Minnesota. 1973. It was an annual event where a king and queen were crowned, teachers got soaked in the dunk-‘em booth, cheap game prizes were won in the gym, and the cake walk was celebrated in the cafeteria. I wore a purple hot pants outfit. With a purple headband. And purple tights. The outfit was…purple. Good grief. Whatever was I thinking. Back then, I felt like royalty. Royalty wearing purple. The look made me feel beautiful…even a little trim. Now, it’s one of those memories that makes me Continue Reading