by Abby Kelly
“The wakeup call for parents and for fathers in particular is that we are sinners too, adult sinners, and our sins have even greater repercussions than the missteps of our children, and tragically our children are often the objects of the dragon still within us. It’s not as if we’re sinners only in our relationships with other adults, and above the law when parenting our children. We are sinners in every facet, and often most dangerously so in our parenting.”
Autumn.
It was a time when the standard answer to “How are you?” was “In a time of rest. I feel like we are in between crisis times and need to rest in this season.” It was only a few years ago, but it feels like a lifetime ago.
In the story of our lives, we often have page-turning moments. Those moments when we are leaving one chapter of our lives and entering another. Those page-turning moments are bittersweet as we have excitement toward the next page, but we are looking longingly back toward what has been.
“You didn’t let me finish!” exclaimed my 8-year-old niece. She was telling me a long story about her day. Halfway through her story, I interrupted her; I was busy and needed to get stuff done.
“Adults never let me finish,” she said in frustration. Her comment took me back, I used to think that too when I was young. I was doing the same thing that drove me crazy:
It’s been exactly a year since we got The Call. In some ways, it seems like forever ago, in others, I can’t believe it has been a full 12 months. In the space of that year, I’ve watched the family transform: allowing memories to fill in spaces where a body sat, speaking freely of personality traits or quotes, choosing to celebrate a Christmas gift one last time without him.
by Abby Kelly
The second my feet hit the floor, I felt overwhelmed.
“Lord, the house feels like such a mess!”
Now, I’m a confessed compulsive cleaner. But I justify that little character flaw by saying, “I have two cats and a dog! How could I possibly keep up with all the hair?”
And…when I do see them? When I share in laughs and stories, when we talk about troubles or share advice…I remember. I remember that I miss them.
They are women that I would love to ask to be a guest writer on this blog. While I can’t do that (since they are with God), I will share some of their work and poetry. They are gone but shouldn’t be forgotten.
I don’t recognize the writing. I don’t recognize the return address. I rip open the envelope that came in the snail mail to find a hug on paper. There wasn’t a long note inside. Just a small quote and it was signed “thinking of you this week.”
What makes you who you are?
We string together experiences and lessons one by one like pearls. Some are born out of irritants, but they help us develop many beautiful layers of strength and courage. Others are timeless gifts of wisdom graciously given by those closest to us.
There was yelling, there was cursing, and kitchen cupboard doors being slammed—the argument? Something rather minor and nonsensical. It happened really fast; from 0 to 100 in about 2 minutes.
I often struggle when I see people respond to this question. Are they really praying? Is it just a nice thing we say to one another to make us feel better? Do we really believe in the power of prayer?
By Guest Author: Katie Donovan.
I am very ashamed of my thoughts now. I never really had a “real” exposure to addiction. What I saw was what was pictured in the movies, or on TV. We lived in the suburbs where “that just didn’t happen around here”.
It’s December and I’m kind of annoyed. Every day, my email inbox and my mailbox alike are full of requests for donations. My social media feed is full of Random Acts of Kindness and causes to give to and mushy good stories. What the…?!? The reason I’m annoyed… …is because I’m wondering where all of this…
Where does it come from? What is it originally for? Why is Halloween celebrated so differently across cultures? and Why are Christians all over the board when it comes to celebrating it?
I am not here to pick a side and answer the question “Should Christians celebrate Halloween?” Rather look at its history, its current application, and why it is so hard to answer the should or shouldn’t question.
It seems I’ve had the opportunity to wear my funeral clothes a bit more often lately. Sigh. Death is a part of life. “Then man goes to his eternal home and mourners go about the streets.” (Ecclesiastes 12:5)
I got you on that one… you thought I was going to quote the “time to be born and time to die” verse from Ecclesiastes 3. Well, that one is applicable too, I suppose. We all have a time to die, but let’s look at the mourners:
I am a mourner.
