My Soul and Spirit Celebrate

One of my favorite but benign addictions in life is “people watching”!  Now, I enjoy people-watching year round, but the time that it is most fascinating to me is at Christmastime.  When I am in the post office line, waiting to mail my packages and cards, I intently observe and often eavesdrop on holiday conversations and frustrations.  When I find myself at the mall, while trying not to be impatient,...

When Life Throws You a Curve Ball

My daughter’s first Christmas and we’ll be homeless. Our home sold, we have nowhere to move into and we are quickly approaching unemployment. -No decorating -No turning down my beautiful long drive and seeing the lights sparkle on my home -no hanging of my daughters first stocking -no listening to my grandmother’s Christmas vinyl -no cozying up on my couch to stare at the tree at night -no traditions -no...

We Need Christmas

Because the enemy is real – we need Christmas. Because hell is hot and forever is a long time – we need Christmas. Because sometimes life is unfair- we need Christmas. Because our sins were great – we need Christmas. Because we were far away – we need Christmas. Because we were lost – we need Christmas. Because the dividing wall had to come down – we need Christmas. Because...

Have a ‘Mary’ Christmas

The debate rages on amongst women: Are you a Mary or a Martha? I don’t particularly care for the question. First, because I don’t like to be put in a box and reduced to a stereotype and secondly because I feel it divides us pitting our strengths against each other. In life, both Martha and Mary are necessary. You can’t have a Mary without a Martha to plan the party....

Child-Like Awe

​ I love it all!  I love everything about this miraculous, melodic, much-anticipated season of the year.  I love the cards that arrive daily flooding my mailbox with heartfelt greetings from friends and family from lon g ago and far away. ​I love the calorie-laden goodies and the family recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. I love knowing that when I make the fresh cranberry jello...

The Debate: When is it Too Early

October 1? November 1? The day after Thanksgiving? December 1? When do you begin listening to Christmas music? The debate rages! No one knows the actual date of Jesus’ birth. God has kept that a mystery. The celebration of Christmas on December 25 was decided by Pope Julius I during the 6th century to coincide with pagan celebration of the winter solstice. Therefore, I like to listen to Christmas music...

Two Keys to Unlock #stressfreeholidays

I have a confession to make to my FB friends. I have been engaging in hypocrisy this past week. As I was encouraging you to experience a #stressfreeholiday, I myself was feeling overwhelmed. I didn’t recognize it because it wasn’t from the usual holiday stressors. It was my publisher’s deadline, preparing for the upcoming women’s conference, and non-holiday related family stuff. But when I realized it, I repented (changed my...

This is A Christmas of Hope

Christmas is all about your focus.  If you focus on the temporary aspects of this season – you will certainly be filled with happiness but you may never experience the true and lasting joy that Christmas was always meant to bring. ​If you are entertaining visions of sugarplums, fruitcake, a tree laden with gifts and a snowman that dances – you are focusing on all of the wrong things.  However,...

The Gift Everyone Wants

Christmas is about giving. We search high and low – Macy’s, Amazon, specialized boutiques, the local Mall – for the elusive perfect gift. We scour everywhere looking for the gift that will put a smile on our friends and families faces. But before you bundle up in your coat, scarves, and gloves, and brave the weather and holiday shoppers, allow me to share with you a gift idea that you...