No Bad Years 12/29/2021 - We’re days away from 2022, and there’s always something magical about that fresh start. A blank slate. A clean page. Some are enticed by the opportunity. What will I get to do next year? What adventures lie ahead? Maybe you’ve got a special vacation planned. Maybe it’s the year you’ll make a career move or work on your personal health. Others are just excited to leave 2021 behind... Read more
Where's the Joy? 12/22/2021 - As I write this, we are getting closer to Christmas. When you read it, Christmas will be just a few days away. There are so many reasons to be joyful--the beautiful decorations, the presents, the music, the manger. And yet--Covid cases are on the rise (again)-causing fear in loneliness in so many. And the stories continue to come in. None of it feels joyful. In fact, it feels heavy and a bit too much to handle... Read more
A Love Too Big For Heaven 12/15/2021 - It’s Christmastime! It’s time to have all the feels about sweet Baby Jesus born in a manger! We don’t like to see the cross when we’re looking into the Christmas manger, but maybe we need to. On the day Jesus said goodbye to His father, and to Heaven’s throne; when He stepped across the threshold of Heaven and made His way across the stars and landed softly in Mary’s virgin womb, He began His sacrifice... Read more
Intentional Rest 12/8/2021 - The holiday season is upon us, and that means one thing - we are busy! Shopping, decorating, baking and a host of other activities are all fighting for our attention as we celebrate the Christmas season. But, if you are someone struggling through a storm right now, the holidays and all it entails can feel like a heavy burden. It is one more thing on your already overloaded plate fighting for your attention. It is just one more thing you have to somehow summon the energy and focus for, and for some of you, that just feels impossible... Read more
The Original Giver 12/1/2021 - Here we are smack dab in the middle of the holiday shopping season. As gift-givers, we often put a ton of pressure on ourselves to give the gift that gets the biggest reaction. We want to be the holiday hero! If you have young children, you may even be just a tad bit envious that the big guy in red gets your well-deserved glory… As a toy shop owner and grandmother of MANY, that pressure is real. But here’s what I’ve been asking myself as of late: Is it better to give than to receive?... Read more