Good morning... As my mind quietly shifts from asleep to awake, I take one huge breath and immediately think of my friend Anne. Today the Landers' family will reverently lay Jerry's body to final rest, but, joy of joys, Jerry's robust spirit has already returned to our God, carried in the arms of his best friend Jesus. I [...]
Good morning... WOW. What a wedding. Our family of six grew another daughter on Sunday, as Chandler and Kyler Allen became husband and wife. Here are my top three Wonder Of Wonders. WOW #1: The Lord drew these two faithful young people together in an undeniable way, and God's [...]
Good morning... The wild thunderstorm outside matches how I feel on the inside. Drenched. I feel drenched with swirling emotions. The wordless prayer card above has been sitting beside me for the past few weeks, silently speaking my hidden worries and my deepest desires. The image reminds me of the bright, light-filled kitchen table in my parents' independent [...]
Good morning... In our minds, we have rehearsed the final details of our son's wedding weekend, again and again. One week from today, we will host a festive dinner the night before the big day. Food and drink. Connection and conversation. Toasts will bring to life the uniqueness of this awesome couple. We look forward to a fun-filled [...]
Good morning... With our oldest son's wedding less than three weeks away, we pulled out our plastic picture bin to search for framable photos for the rehearsal dinner. Along with lots of fun pictures of Kyler and Chandler as a couple, we will include photos from our own wedding, from her parents' wedding, and from the weddings of [...]
Good morning... Arriving home from my time away, I opened the invitation to our oldest son's wedding. I savored the handmade beauty. I took the picture above and texted it to our daughter-in-love-to-be, letting her know how much I appreciate her tender loving care with every little detail. I also shared the photo and gratitude with her mom, [...]
Good morning... "I don't know if you're online with Kate Bowler's messages, so I wanted to pass this along to you," wrote my dear friend. "I saw it a few weeks ago and I thought it was so poignant, especially for those of us who are struggling with very difficult situations," [...]
Good morning... Amid this time of year with graduations, weddings, and special days dedicated to mothers and fathers, depression can creep in for some of us who feel depleted and disconnected, with high hopes and deep dreams derailed. I just read the obituary for Libby Wood, with this challenging sentence: "Sadly, she lost her battle with depression on [...]
Good morning... This Mother's Day weekend, I realize that in 112 days I will be a mother-in-law. I am excited to let down my hair and be openly receptive to all the intimate ways I will be touched by our new daughter, Chandler. Chandler works for Earl Grey Floral in Austin, Texas and has been asked by her [...]
Good morning... This Mother's Day week, I marvel at the way God is growing our youngest son. Finishing strong his junior year at the University of Georgia, Jeremiah has grown in some very significant ways. Initiative. Motivation. Expanding an idea outside the traditional box. After doing various odd jobs over the past several summers and removing Christmas trees [...]
