Looking for a particular post or topic?
Search here:
Archive
- December 2024 7
- November 2024 8
- October 2024 9
- September 2024 9
- August 2024 9
- July 2024 7
- June 2024 8
- May 2024 9
- April 2024 9
- March 2024 8
- February 2024 9
- January 2024 9
- December 2023 6
- November 2023 9
- October 2023 9
- September 2023 7
- August 2023 9
- July 2023 8
- June 2023 9
- May 2023 5
- April 2023 6
- March 2023 5
- February 2023 9
- January 2023 10
- December 2022 7
- November 2022 11
- October 2022 12
- September 2022 9
- August 2022 13
- July 2022 7
- June 2022 1
- April 2022 3
- March 2022 4
- February 2022 4
- January 2022 1
- December 2021 3
- November 2021 4
- September 2021 2
- August 2021 1
- July 2021 3
- June 2021 4
- May 2021 1
- April 2021 2
- March 2021 1
- February 2021 2
- January 2021 7
- December 2020 3
- November 2020 4
- October 2020 4
- September 2020 6
- August 2020 5
- July 2020 3
- June 2020 6
- May 2020 8
- April 2020 7
- March 2020 1
- February 2020 2
- January 2020 6
- December 2019 2
- November 2019 3
- October 2019 1
- September 2019 2
- August 2019 6
- July 2019 5
- June 2019 7
- May 2019 10
- April 2019 9
- March 2019 13
- February 2019 17
- January 2019 20
- December 2018 17
- November 2018 21
- October 2018 22
- September 2018 14
- August 2018 22
- July 2018 22
- June 2018 21
- May 2018 11
- April 2018 20
- March 2018 21
- February 2018 20
- January 2018 27
- December 2017 10
- November 2017 21
- October 2017 22
- September 2017 19
- August 2017 23
- July 2017 21
- June 2017 19
- May 2017 20
- April 2017 20
- March 2017 18
- February 2017 19
- January 2017 17
- December 2016 18
- November 2016 17
- October 2016 17
- September 2016 18
- August 2016 17
- July 2016 15
- June 2016 13
- May 2016 17
- April 2016 16
- March 2016 18
- February 2016 18
- January 2016 20
- December 2015 16
- November 2015 19
- October 2015 21
- September 2015 19
- August 2015 20
- July 2015 21
- June 2015 20
- May 2015 17
- April 2015 20
- March 2015 20
- February 2015 18
- January 2015 21
- December 2014 12
- November 2014 16
- October 2014 19
- September 2014 21
- August 2014 19
- July 2014 18
- June 2014 19
- May 2014 22
- April 2014 16
- March 2014 12
- February 2014 17
- January 2014 19
- December 2013 14
- November 2013 17
- October 2013 13
- September 2013 17
- August 2013 16
- July 2013 11
- June 2013 17
- May 2013 16
- April 2013 8
- March 2013 17
- February 2013 16
- January 2013 22
- December 2012 13
- November 2012 14
- October 2012 17
- September 2012 15
- August 2012 16
- July 2012 16
- June 2012 14
- May 2012 16
- April 2012 14
- March 2012 19
- February 2012 16
- January 2012 19
- December 2011 7
- November 2011 16
- October 2011 16
- September 2011 16
- August 2011 18
- July 2011 17
- June 2011 13
- May 2011 16
- April 2011 15
- March 2011 18
- February 2011 12
- January 2011 14
- December 2010 10
- November 2010 11
- October 2010 16
- September 2010 16
- August 2010 8
- July 2010 14
- June 2010 7
- May 2010 17
- April 2010 13
- March 2010 15
- February 2010 15
- January 2010 19
- December 2009 12
- November 2009 13
- October 2009 12
- September 2009 20
- August 2009 15
- July 2009 14
- June 2009 9
- May 2009 6
- April 2009 15
- March 2009 4
- February 2009 10
- January 2009 16
- December 2008 7
- November 2008 13
- October 2008 10
- September 2008 19
- August 2008 17
- July 2008 7
- January 1999 2
Staying Connected When Life Goes Dark
As a missionary in the beautiful, yet often rainy and windy, country of Wales, I've become quite the expert at walking into rooms and flipping light switches that I know full well won't work. I've also mastered the art of trying to wash my hands with water that isn't flowing, followed by the classic "Oh, right!" moment of realization. It's amazing how many times in a single day a person can forget there's no power or water!
Last week's storm brought a special kind of challenge. Instead of one prolonged power outage (which I could have handled with dignity and grace... maybe), we experienced what I like to call the "disco light special" – power flickering on and off throughout the day. Each time the power returned, I'd dash around the house like a contestant on a game show, resetting clocks, checking the heating, and most importantly, coaxing our temperamental internet router back to life.
Lessons From a Midnight Mouse
I jolted awake to the sound of scratching and scampering, followed by an excited "Woof!" from our terrier, Tess. I turned on the bedside lamp, revealing our pup's intense focus on something beneath our dresser. That's when I spotted it—a tiny grey mouse darting across our bedroom floor.
Talk about a rude awakening! Living in rural Wales, backed up against sheep pastures and woodlands, I suppose we should have expected such visitors sooner. But after two years without any uninvited guests, we'd grown complacent. Now, here we were, at midnight, watching our typically sweet-natured terrier transform into a determined hunter.
Needless to say, sleep proved elusive that night. Between Tess's vigilant guard duty and my heightened awareness of every little sound, morning couldn't come soon enough.
Strategies for Overcoming the Chaos of Over-Commitment
As I sit here, typing away, I can't help but chuckle at the irony. Here I am, writing about the dangers of over-commitment while my to-do list threatens to topple off my desk and bury me alive. It's a bit like a drowning man giving swimming lessons, right?
But let's be honest, we've all been there. We've all felt the weight of too many responsibilities pressing down on our shoulders, threatening to crush us under their collective mass. It's as if we're trying to juggle flaming torches while riding a unicycle on a tightrope. Over a pit of hungry alligators. In a hurricane.
The physical toll of over-commitment is no laughing matter, though. Our bodies weren't designed for constant stress and activity. We need rest, rejuvenation, and the occasional nap (preferably not during the pastor's sermon, but I won't judge). When we push ourselves too hard for too long, our bodies start to rebel.
Headaches become our constant companions. Our backs ache like we've been lugging around boulders instead of grocery bags. Our eyes develop a twitch that makes us look like we're constantly winking at everyone (which can lead to some awkward situations, let me tell you). And don't even get me started on the joys of stress-induced acid reflux. Nothing says, "I'm living my best life," like feeling like you've swallowed a flamethrower after every meal.
Rekindling Our Zeal
Have you ever stopped to think about the word "enthusiasm"? It's a word we use often to describe our passion or excitement for something, but did you know that its etymology has a fascinating link to the divine? The word "enthusiasm" comes from the Greek "enthousiasmos" (ἐνθουσιασμός), which can be broken down into two parts: "en" (ἐν) meaning "in" or "within," and "theos" (θεός) meaning "god." In ancient Greek, "enthousiasmos" referred to a state of divine inspiration or possession by a god.
Isn't it fascinating how language evolves? While the original concept of "enthusiasm" was related to being filled with or inspired by a divine presence, the meaning has evolved over time to describe intense excitement or zeal for any cause or interest. But as Christians, I believe we should reclaim the original meaning of enthusiasm and apply it to our relationship with God.
The Odd Flower Out
I was out in the garden the other day, hanging up some laundry and enjoying the sun's warmth on my face, when I noticed something unusual. A single daisy-like flower bloomed tall and steady in the middle of one of my backyard bushes. I had seen it before—last year, in fact—and it had struck me as odd then, too. It seemed so out of place, protruding from the bush all alone in its uniqueness.
As I stood there, admiring the flower, I couldn't help but feel a sense of kinship with it. Indeed, we've all had moments where we've felt like the proverbial square peg trying to fit into a round hole. We've all experienced that sense of not quite belonging, even among those we consider to be our closest friends and family. It's a feeling of isolation, being different, and standing out like a sore thumb.
Mindfulness in Christian Living
This morning, Jason decided to treat us to homemade scones for breakfast. It was a lovely gesture, to be sure, but one that didn't quite go according to plan.
You see, our oven is a bit of a peculiar beast. It's got two knobs: one for temperature and another for the various oven controls. You can turn up the temperature without turning on the oven or turn on the oven without adjusting the temperature. We typically leave the temperature set and only fiddle with the control knob, as we're creatures of habit when it comes to baking temperatures.
Jason went about his merry way, mixing the ingredients and shaping the scones with the precision of a master baker. He popped them in the oven, set the timer, and waited for the magic to happen. But when the timer went off, he opened the oven door to find... raw dough. The scones looked exactly as they had when he'd put them in!
Swing Low, Sweet Slug
As the summer weather continues, I find myself spending more and more time outside on my swing. It's the perfect spot to enjoy the fresh air, soak up some rare Welsh sunshine, and spend time with my furry companion, Tess. I love to use this time to read my Bible, pray, or do some writing. It's my little slice of heaven here on earth.
But recently, my peaceful swing time was interrupted in a most unexpected way. As I sat there, enjoying the gentle rocking motion and the sound of birds chirping, something fell from above and landed in my lap. To my horror, I discovered it was a ginormous slug! Evidently, the slimy creature had crawled up to the top of the swing and either lost its grip or deliberately decided to pay me a visit.
Beyond the Mirror
The other day, my husband Jason came into the bedroom where I was working on my latest book. I immediately noticed a long smear of grease on his face. When I pointed it out, he chuckled and told me he had been working on a project in the kitchen and had gotten a bit dirty.
A few hours later, while I was writing in my office, he left with Tess to take her for a walk and run a few errands in town. When they returned, he walked through the door to my office, and I couldn’t help but smile. He still had the long streak of grease running down his face, and he had walked all around town that way!
The situation reminded me of the passage in James about looking in a mirror, seeing our flaws, and then walking away without doing anything about them. The mirror in James represents the Word of God.
Rest, Run, Repeat
I'm happy to say that my back is improving, and I'm having fewer episodes of intense pain and restriction. It's a relief, let me tell you! However, according to my osteopath, I still have a lot of healing to do. Oddly enough, his instructions to me at the end of each visit are the same: "Move more and get more rest."
Is it just me, or do those two instructions contradict each other? If I move more, I'm not resting, and if I rest more, I'm not moving. It's like telling someone to eat more cake and lose weight simultaneously! (FYI, that doesn't work. I've tried it…multiple times.)
I'll be honest, it's maddening trying to find the right balance of moving and resting. My mind races endlessly: Should I be up and about now? Am I pushing too hard? Is this pain a sign to stop or a hurdle to push through?
On Guard!
Have you ever ordered something online only to receive a product that was completely different from what you expected? Well, that recently happened to me.
I had ordered a supplement from eBay, a product I've purchased many times before from various sellers. But when the order arrived, I was immediately concerned. None of the bottles were sealed, which I knew was odd because I’ve always received sealed bottles.
Looking at the product more closely, I began to notice many strange things. The logo was a bit off, and there were typos on the label. The pills themselves were a different size and much less full than usual. Feeling unsure about what was actually in these supplements, I contacted the seller for a refund.