One of the greatest struggles that we experience as Christians is discerning what the Lord’s will is for our lives. Oh, if He only left a personalized note, an audible message, or wrote His words… More
Embracing the Sorrow in Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving. The time of the year to reflect on all that we are thankful for. Yet, for some reason, this year my heart is quite burdened. While I truly am grateful for so much in my life, my heart can’t seem to break free of bearing the burden of so many close to us that are traversing through challenging times. Cancer, illness, wayward children, suicide, financial hardships, addiction, bitter relationships…and all of that is just within the walls of my circle of friends. Mingle in the sinful, divisive climate that bathes our society, and you have cause to feel the weight of the world.
Allowing the Lord to Say No to Your Children
It was the summer before my son’s freshman year in high school, and he had one request of me: “Mom, can I join the football team?”
Continue reading “Allowing the Lord to Say No to Your Children”
How the Time Flies
I remember the moment so clearly. I was a mom of three small boys ages 4, 3, and 1. It was a beautiful spring day so the boys and I packed up the stroller to walk down to our park. As the older boys ran and jumped and played, I pushed my giggling little guy on the baby swings. Not meaning to eavesdrop, but being too close to avoid hearing, I listened in on a conversation between two moms.
When Waiting on the Lord is Hard
Waiting patiently has never been one of my best attributes. My trouble started early on. As a child, I always knew where my mother kept our Christmas gifts hidden, and I made it a point, with great regularity, to spy and peek at the stash. I simply could not wait until Christmas.
Following The Lord’s Will
For the past several days I have been contemplating the time that Jesus spent in the Garden of Gethsemane praying. I’ve been struck by the words that scripture uses to tell us about the emotions of that evening. I’ve combed through various Bible translations noting these words.
Searching for the Silver Lining
I am prone to negativity. When my tongue is unrestrained it lends itself to complaining, biting sarcasm, and criticism. How’s that for a dose of honesty? Similarly, my thoughts can easily meander down the same pessimistic path. I’ve needed to fess up to this less-than-Christlike attitude and confess it for what it is: sin. I am prayerfully working on changing my perspective. Decades of pessimistic practice have made this a hard habit to kick. But I am thankful that the Lord has opened my eyes to it and given me the opportunity to change.
Blog Update
For quite some time I have been feeling the not-so-gentle-nudge to do something about this blog, Life in the Van. I cover such a broad range of topics from faith to family to food, and in the blogosphere, that is no good.
Those of you who are interested in reading more about topics related to faith and family may not necessarily be interested in my recipe posts. Conversely, those of you looking for new recipes may not be interested in hearing about my thoughts on matters of faith and family.
So, this past week, I fixed that. I have a new blog up and running called The Gluten Free Gathering. Here, I will be posting only gluten free recipes and other food related topics.
Life in the Van will remain the place where I share what the Lord has laid upon my heart. I will be sharing matters of faith, lessons, and family topics as I always have. If there are any cooking contest adventures, I’ll share those as well. But soon you will begin to see all of those yummy recipes disappear from Life in the Van. They will find a new home at The Gluten Free Gathering.
So, you have some choices:
- If you want to pick up some great gluten free recipes, head on over to The Gluten Free Gathering and sign up. You can also visit us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. We’d love new followers!
- If you want to hear more about faith and family, stay right where you are at Life in the Van. Life in the Van does have a Facebook page as well.
- Love both? Sign up to receive updates from both blogs
Thanks to all of you who have followed and supported me in my writing venture. It’s something that I truly love to do.
Does God Have a Plan?
Life has been busy and complicated of late. Seasons like this sprinkle the timeline of our lives like snow (sometimes like a blizzard). Busy doing what needs to be done…what has to be done. Running to and fro. Dealing with the challenges life has. Aging parents. Health concerns. The future. It seems as though everything else gets pushed aside. Our good intentions become just that, intentions; things dreamed of or planned, but never coming to fruition. The out-of-control elements of the day dictate its course. Sometimes we simply feel like we are bobbing on the waves, being pushed to and fro, struggling to keep our heads above, at the mercy of the tide.
When Christmas is Hard: Cobwebs and Christmas Trees
Our family has always enjoyed having a real Christmas tree in our home. There is just something about the fresh smell of pine that draws each of us in. We typically frequent a local garden center to select our tree. But one year we ventured out to a tree farm to cut down our own. Unfortunately, I was unable to go because of a commitment at church, but my husband and boys joined my brother-in-law and his children on a tree-cutting adventure.
Continue reading “When Christmas is Hard: Cobwebs and Christmas Trees”
Surprised By So Much Sexual Sin?
Of late, the news has been dominated with story after story of accused sexual impropriety and misconduct. It seems that with each passing day another politician, celebrity, or public figure falls from grace. While the depravity of man in general does not take me by surprise, a naive populace does. I find myself a bit dumbfounded as I hear of the outrage and shock that people have expressed at some of the recent revelations. Please understand clearly: I do not condone such behavior. It is wrong and reprehensible. But, my question is this: should this trend be surprising?
It shouldn’t.
Life in the Van 