“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10b (NIV) Two trains of thought have been running through my head and bumping into each other today as I contemplate this blog. You see, Ray and I are about to leave for a three-week vacation. Ray’s sister will stay with Dad and our little dog, Bella, and we’ll visit friends and family and take three weeks of rest. This is going to be very, very nice! One train of thought has scolded me: You just started this website and blog. You need speaking engagements. No one starts a new ministry and then leaves three weeks later. You need to keep up, or folks will lose interest and drift away. The better train of thought assures […] Read more »

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.  James 1:19-20 (NIV) Life is not always sunshine and sweetness around our house. Take, for example, the day I threw all the cereal boxes across the room. Yeah. That day. To begin with, I thought an aide was coming to take care of Dad’s morning routine—a two-hour process. But no aide. Losing help means losing two hours out of my day. Okay, I thought. I can do this. I shuffled my schedule a bit, changed a phone conference call, and got to work caring for Dad. I was actually quite nice […] Read more »

You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:32 (ESV) Ray and I are blessed to have his father live with us. Almost 94, Ray’s dad is sound in mind, but his dear body is failing in many ways. Unable to stand or walk, he needs help with most daily tasks. God has used this season of caregiving to teach me abundant lessons, and I will be forever grateful that Dad joined our little family here in New Hampshire. In the past year and a half with him, I have learned … Be kind. Dad is a kind person. Whether it’s a visiting nurse, an aide, or […] Read more »