We’ve all heard how an apple a day keeps the doctor away. I’m not sure that’s true, but I do think there’s some truth to the healing power of laughter and sleep. It’s been said that a cheery heart is good medicine (Proverbs 17:22) — and I have to believe laughter’s included there. And more and more studies reveal the …
In Others’ Words: Perfect
I want to expound on Thomas Merton’s quote — but really, he’s spoken the truth so eloquently. Love is letting others be. It’s not some twisted you-look-like-me-and-I-look-like-you relationship where there’s no emotional breathing space. And sometimes we don’t understand the truth that love begins when I’m me and you’re you until we’ve spent too many years pretending to be someone we’re …
In Others’ Words: Insight
Creativity takes a certain kind of insight. Insight that sees beyond the blocks of marble — or snow — and recognizes the angels or warriors waiting to be revealed. Insight that looks beyond the blank pages and imagines the stories waiting to be told … with words that become sentences … that become paragraphs … that become chapters … that …
In Others’ Words: Conquering the “Can’ts”
I admire people who take the word “can’t” and turn it into a great big “Oh yes, I can!” Like Helen Keller. Or Erik Weihenmayer. You probably recognize Helen Keller’s name and know she’s the first deaf-blind woman to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree, who then went on to become an international speaker and author. Erik Weihenmayer? He’s the first blind …
In Others’ Words: Peace Like a River
I read this verse yesterday — Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. — and knew it would be the focus of today’s post. The Old Testament perspective of the heart encompassed a person’s physical, mental and spiritual life. So guarding the heart was significant because an unprotected heart put so much in danger: your …
In Others’ Words: One Word
I am a one-word woman. It’s been years since I made a New Year’s resolution — much less kept one. I mean, how can I keep a resolution when I can’t find my nice, new list that I wrote up oh-so-carefully? 2014 will be the ninth year that I focus on one word for twelve months. And yes, I know …
In Others’ Words: Be Happy
This past weekend, I listened to a radio broadcaster chat with a middle-schooler — asking the typical “What do you want to be when you grow up?” questions. Where do you want to go to college? What do you want to study? What kind of engineer do you want to be? (This, after the kid finally said he thought — …
In Others’ Word: Circumstance
I love the rhythm of the words in today’s quote. God can change … He can orchestrate … He can alter … He can and does … The words becomes are anthem of hope. Not that I’m surprised — they are penned by my writing-friend, Cynthia Herron. From the first time I met her, I recognized the heart of a valiant encourager …
In Others’ Words: Truthful
Discouragement has stalked my heels of late. And even as I write those words, I want to back up, hit the “delete” key until that sentence disappears. Start again. But I am determined to be honest . . . not to garner sympathy, although you all — yes, you, if you are reading this blog — are amazing encouragers. I …
In Others’ Words: Home is where . . .
I had a certain definition of home for many years–and it was most definitely tied to a specific address. A certain place. Then I married my husband, who was in the military. My idea of home had to change. Uncle Sam determined where home was – and how long a certain place would be home. The year I decorated a Christmas tree …