“Oh, men and women, pray through; pray through! Do not justbegin to pray and pray a little while and throw up your handsand quit; but pray and pray and pray until God bends theheavens and comes down.” R.A. Torrey You can’t build a permanent dwelling where a tent is supposed to be. That was the confession of my heart as we drove the stake into the ground. I was ready for that permanent dwelling, but not just anywhere would do. […]
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“Use all of your resources, Sis. That is the first rule of cockpit management when learning to fly. People will want to help you. Let them.” Little did I know how much this advice would affect me when Chuck had to leave the country for three and a half weeks. “It shouldn’t be a problem,” I told Chuck. I know how to run this house and take care of the kids. I can manage the home front while you are […]
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Eva leaned around the backseat and looked out the front windshield, watching other kids getting out at the carpool line. “Mom. No one else is dressed in pioneer clothes. I thought you said it was Laura Ingalls Wilder day today?” Eva stated. “It’s fine.” I nonchalantly added. Somewhat distracted, I said, “I am sure all the kids dressed up are inside. Go ahead and get out so you’re not late. Have a great day! Off she went, dressed in her […]
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Nobody is going to say, “I had such a nice time at Debbie’s. Her baseboards were so clean.” unknown Some days feel more like chaos as I am cleaning goldfish and some sort of gooey substance off the back seats of our SUV. And yet, setting boundaries, schedules, and rules provides a bank for the river to run swiftly. The Queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem to see if the rumors of Solomon’s splendor were true. She desired to ask […]
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The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. Helen Keller Cleaning out Eva’s lunch box, I came across an empty wrapper of something I did not pack her. Inquiring about it, she told me, “Mom. It was the best snack! It was chocolate rolled up with cream in the middle!” “You mean a Swiss Cake Roll?” I asked. “Yes! That’s it! She exclaimed. I laughed, realizing how much […]
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Charlotte, what is this? Holding a clump of brown curly locks in my hand, she looked back at me and responded, “I not know.” Is this your hair? Did you cut your hair?! These were rhetorical questions because I could vividly see where she snipped her curls. My mood was beginning to dim. Growing up, we were not allowed mood swings in our home. It did not matter how we felt that day or what side of the bed we […]
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Half the things we worry about never happen. Then, some things happen unexpectedly in our lives that give us pause as we see how the hand of God went before us. On the way to school one morning, Eva asked many “What if” questions, to which I responded, “It seems like you are borrowing a lot of unnecessary trouble.” Toting Charlotte in the car seat carrier when she was six months old, Chuck slipped on the slick garage cement floor. […]
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“Oh, your girls are just adorable!” Remarked the Jeweler. To this, Charlotte smirked and said, “Sissy just got in trouble.” Eva’s eyes widened, and I politely laughed, “And to think I was glad when she learned to talk.” Hearing the steady beeping from my alarm clock, my feet hit the floor, ready to grab some much-needed quiet time before the girls and Tyson wake. Sitting in my chair upstairs, just opening my Bible, I hear Eva coming down the hall. […]
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Tell me a time He’s not been faithfulTell me a morning His mercies weren’t newTell me a moment. He wasn’t able to carry you throughTell me a day He was less than AlmightyWhen He could not roll back the tideChild, when you look back, you’re gonna findThere was never a time. Never a Time – The Perry’s Talking with my Grandpa and Grandma one afternoon, I asked them how they raised three children successfully. Grandpa paused and then joked, “Well, […]
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After one week with a newborn in the house, Chuck commented, “I see you are wearing the same sweater again today.” I slowly looked up from where I was stirring my steaming cup of hot tea and replied, “Yes, I am. Is that a problem?” “No. No,” he clarified. “Just taking notice.” It was next to my last checkup before Tyson would be delivered. “Please lay back, Mrs. Howard, so we can get another listen to the baby on the […]
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