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They followed emptiness and became empty… 2 Kings 17:15

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During quarantine, I had to cut my own hair four times. Fortunately, I have a great stylist, and just followed the pattern she’d already created. Besides, my hair is short and wavy. All I had to do was add a little product, scrunch it to curl, and any unevenness just got mixed into the whole.

My hair actually looked pretty good, making me think I could permanently skip those $50 visits every six to eight weeks. There are so many other things I could spend that money on.

Unfortunately, everything changed after the fourth haircut.

Continue reading →

And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand.   Matthew 7:26

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When Quarantine first began, I saw it as a gift: an opportunity to refocus us all to life within our four walls. No longer having to run here and there, I prioritized Family Time. My objective was to make fun memories and re-instill our core values.

Sure, we did “Thinking of You” cards for people who were struggling, Hearts for Healthcare Workers, shopped for the local food pantry, etc., but those endeavors didn’t take long. The majority of our time was focused on us.

Now that restrictions are being lifted, I’m trying to refocus us all, but I’m hitting resistance. We’ve gotten pretty good at indulging and just thinking of ourselves. Continue reading →

And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.  1 John 1:5

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My mom gave Mason Laser Chess for his birthday a few years ago. The playing pieces have a mirror on one side that deflects the light, and plastic on the other side that absorbs it. The point is to arrange your pieces so your laser bounces off mirror after mirror until it hits your opponent’s king. At the same time, you have to make sure none of your pieces absorb your opponent’s laser, or they get knocked out of the game.

It feels very similar to all that’s going on in the world right now. Continue reading →

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”  John 8:12

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Jocelyn has a tendency to focus on the bad. She’s more susceptible when she’s tired or hungry, but even on her good days, it sometimes happens. I’ve spent a lot of time explaining that it’s not enough to try and take your mind off of a bad thought: You need to replace it with a happy one. We practice and practice, but it doesn’t always work.

The cool thing is, we just watched a family movie that has equipped her with a whole new perspective. Continue reading →

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Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that arose because of Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch… Acts 11:19

In July of 2018, on the day I was to begin writing my first-ever book proposal, our AC died on the first floor. With all the upstairs bedrooms occupied, the only room left to be in to escape the heat was the master bathroom. I covered the jacuzzi tub with plywood and built a stand-up work station on top. Lo and behold, I ended up being more focused and productive, tucked away upstairs, than I ever would have been in my first floor, open-spaced office where my kids interrupt me every ten minutes. Continue reading →

My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways.               Proverbs 23:26

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When I come downstairs in the morning, and my kids pounce on me with requests and demands, I lose it. I haven’t even had coffee yet. Their rapid fire babble leaves my head spinning and my heart aching. I don’t want to be just a source for their needs to be met; I want to feel welcomed, loved and embraced for just being me.

So, I always step back, look them in the eyes, and ask to be greeted and hugged first. Once our connection is reestablished, then I’m happy to do what I can for them.

God doesn’t require this from us, but we should require it of ourselves. Continue reading →

Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them, they could say nothing in reply.  Acts 4:14

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My friend, Pam, had a virtual birthday party for her son a few weeks ago. Leading up to it, I was busy gathering my little family together and logging on to the Zoom meeting. At the last second, I realized I needed to use the bathroom. So, I quickly ducked out to do so.

When I came out of the bathroom, the Zoom call was filled with the other families invited, but my kitchen was empty! Like a bunch of puppies with no attention span, every member of my family was in the backyard: my husband covering the grill, and my kids chasing a wild rabbit that happened to hop into our yard. Really?!!! Continue reading →

Jesus answered them and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word.” John 14:23

A funny memory I have from childhood is this girl, Linda (a name changed to protect her innocence), always saying: “I’ll give you ___ if you’ll be my best friend!” The item in the blank changed depending on what new toy or treat she’d recently acquired.

Obviously, in her desperation to have friends, she was willing to use whatever bribe was necessary. It’s only now, looking back as an adult, that I see she put more value on her toys and treats than she put on herself. Continue reading →

I’m thrilled to announce that the Prayer Path has finally dried up and is ready to be used. For those not familiar with the Prayer Path: This walking prayer is a wonderful way to shed stress and tension, while growing closer to God. Located in the woods beside the Parish Center of St. Matthews, at 2 Searles Road, Windham, NH, the Prayer Path is open to visitors of all faiths during the daylight hours. Continue reading →

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And a man crippled from birth was carried and placed at the gate of the temple, called the Beautiful Gate, every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple. Acts 3:2

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We are living in a time of extremes. While some people are losing loved ones because of the pandemic, others are growing closer to theirs because of it. It seems that whenever the stakes are high, there’s no room for gray, just black and white. Continue reading →