Somehow my life has always been this way. My world is filled with a lot of people – smart, wise people – who land on all different points on all the spectrums of ideological thought and life-journey decisions. I know many loving, dedicated people who have considered deeply the ways to prioritize the factors of their own life and make…
-
-
by Suzy Sammons “Narrative is our culture’s currency; he who tells the best story wins.” — Bobette Buster As Christians we follow the greatest storyteller of all time. Jesus of Nazareth taught a small band of disciples, and changed the world with stories that delivered radical messages of love and transformation. As His modern followers we have worked hard to do…
-
Throughout their lives, as our kids have faced new challenges – moving to new cities with new schools and youth groups and sports teams – as well as launched into new lives at college and beyond, we’ve repeatedly shared this story with them to paint a simple picture of life. You could say it’s one of our family’s folk tales.…
-
Last Thursday evening, my husband and two youngest kids and I met up with 7 other people we didn’t know, climbed into a van with our duffel bags and our good intentions and drove to the border town of Mexicali Mexico to build something. I’d been busy enough in the weeks leading up to our departure that I quietly panicked…
-
How can a heart soar and cringe all at the same time? As a mom of a wide range of kids, I should know this sensation all too well by now. For Pete’s sake, my 21 year old recently sent a photograph of his body practically dangling over the far edge of a cliff along the Oregon coast. Rude and…
-
We’re now in the middle of our move. Half of us are here in Southern California and half of us are still back in Michigan. The half of us living in LA is hanging out in a Residence Inn and managing lots of new-life, people who don’t know us, or no people at all. The two of us still in…
-
Last week on NPR I heard a fascinating interview with a psychiatrist who uses avatar therapy to quiet the negative voices in people’s minds and free them from the burdens imposed by fear, doubt, anxiety, insecurity (etc.). I’ve since read that this sort of therapy is even used to treat clinical schizophrenia. Fascinating, isn’t it? Talk about theater of the…
-
Don’t Look Up! More than one war is waging above your head today. Yes, I am intrigued by the fierce battle between good and evil waging in the heavens for our hearts and souls. But God only knows who will win that one today. (wink) Right now I’m referring to the battle in Washington over controlling our digital screens. Our…
-
Today’s news connection: The Huffington Post reports on what men say about their ex-wives. This oughta be good. Click. The statements are contradictory and, on the surface a bit whiny. But when we consider the deeper meaning, (which might be risky) the potential truth huddled beneath the whining is quite important. The reality is magnified and their statements are true,…
-
Wow I have been a really bad blogger lately. Maybe that means I ‘m not really a blogger at all, because one cannot truly be called a blogger if one does not do the blog-things consistent with those bloggers who define good blogging. So now I have also proved that using the word blog in as many forms as possible…
-
Not by accident and not by coincidence, our family encountered an extraordinary person this week. He is someone who dedicates a part of his life to living without a plan at all. But rather he joyfully steps out and intentionally responds to the opportunities God places before him to help others. On a given day, he grabs some cash and…
-
The national weather service doesn’t give tornados human names. We talk of hurricanes and storms with modern names that allow us to personify them, and point somewhere specific when we want to remember and reflect. Tornadoes don’t get names. There’s little tracking, rarely any warning and certainly no time to discuss them on television before we face their wrath. Joplin…
-
I’ve spent my business life working to understand what makes people tick and finding creative ways to connect with them. Sometimes the study is about people with whom I have much in common, but mostly I’ve learned about people who think quite differently to me. I know this is part of what I’ve loved about my job because it’s also what…
-
Yesterday I read an article regarding actual government legislation in Florida regulating the apparently ghastly practice of dying baby chicks in celebration of Easter. Ahh.The controversial baby chick legislation. Avoiding the general debate about how our paid politicians are spending their time, I averted my eyes and moved on, in search of more meaningful news to follow. Behold. President Obama…
-
If any of us know anything about Jesus of Nazareth, we probably have heard that his reaction to needy people was immediate and scandalous generosity. Furthermore, Jesus was indisputably clear in how he felt about our modeling this teaching. But in our busy days, we often see strangers with “needy” signs on street corners at the entrance to Target and…
-
I’m still piecing this story together, sparked by the industry discussion of a super bowl television commercial that ran in our nation’s largest cities. I haven’t delved much into the details behind the church of scientology except the tabloid kind of information that I always hope is invented by wildly imaginative people. Apparently, an Oscar winning author/screenwriter/ Hollywood/Scientologist named Lawrence…
-
In honor of Super Bowl, and the greatest commercial of all time, I give you a sixty second reflection for today. Can we think as big as this kid? Can we get on our all-powerful outfit and go conquer the world and never ever ever give up? It’s so stinkin’ cool when we get shocked by a miracle in our…
-
As I drifted off to sleep last night, my mind was spinning with the truth that we are charging ahead in a new year filled with new pathways and excitement …and we must choose. Every day, as always, we have to make choices about how to spend every minute when so many needs call for our attention. As we launch and…
-
In this war Our enemy likes to keeps us off kilter. Spinning our heads. Tossing in grenades of worry. Obstacles meant to keep us from moving forward with purpose. Yet the greatest warrior king of all time beckons us to trust. Shedding fear and doubt. Shouting strength and giving glory to God. The one who is our armor For all…
-
Be in the world Not of the world. But for heaven’s sake, be in the world. Let’s see. Politicians debate the role of their religion and their faith as it relates to their roles as governmental leaders. Bloggers pontificate (eloquently of course) about the hypocrisy of Christians celebrating Halloween and Santa. Most folks are okay with Thanksgiving being a kind-hearted…