#gracefilledhope

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Finding the Quiet…

  • March 3, 2020
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A few weeks ago, I was home alone. The entire night—I was home alone.  I can’t tell you the last time that happened; it was probably over 12 years ago.   The boys went on a trip to New Orleans for the Saints playoff game and Karis was asked to spend the night at a friend’s house.  I came home to an empty house (with the exception of three donkeys, two cows, two dogs, and 20 chickens) after coaching a basketball...

Unfriended…Can we have a conversation please?

Unfriended.  My offense?  A political comment had been posted and the thread was going south quickly.  The potential for hurt feelings was very likely and the fallout could affect relationships.  I commented “you may want to consider where this thread is headed, the potential for divisiveness is high and there could be some badly hurt feelings”. For the Christian, there is absolutely no place on social media for divisiveness of any kind.  The world is watching…and often what they see...

Vulnerable….

  • January 7, 2020
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2020…thank you for coming.  I’ve been waiting for you, new year..new beginnings.  This will probably be one of the more “open” blogs I’ve written.  2019 was a hard year.  In fact, things are just beginning to settle.  It was a year of goodbyes, sadness, exhaustion, feeling out of control, and questioning.  It was also a year of faith building, hope, trust, perseverance and growth. Each year I choose a word to focus on, study and strive to plant into my...

When Advent meets Emmanuel and cries Maranatha

  • December 18, 2019
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The Christmas of 1986 will always be my foundation of faith. I can’t ever remember not believing in God as a child. My grandmother made sure I was in the pews in her arms. I was a member of the youth group, went to a Christian college, married a strong Christian man and by December of 1986 had two beautiful babies and a third on the way. Life was really good and in hindsight going to change into something I...

Boiling Sugar, Burns and Blisters

  • July 8, 2019
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Boiling sugar is really REALLY HOT! Recently while making apple jelly, my hand and face found out the hard way just how hot it is!  I was ladling the hot mixture into jars as the last step before boiling to seal the lids.  I’m not sure what happened but all of the sudden the measuring cup is dropping into the pot which hits the wooden spoon which in turn slings the boiling hot mixture onto my face…my extended fingers never...