Category Archives: Heartbreak
Great Minds and Lost Souls
Last month our family swam through years of history together, dodging slave traders and rabid dogs courtesy of the pages of a Harriet Tubman biography. We spent evenings imagining how cold and frightening it would have been to slink through southern … Continue reading
Posted in Compassion, Deep Thoughts, Discoveries, Faith, Family Activities, God, Heartbreak, Literature/Books, Matters of the Heart, Social Justice, Uncategorized
Tagged Dancing on the Ceiling, Dorchester County Maryland, Harriet Tubman, Lionel Richie, Lionel Ritchie, Moses, North Star, Slavery, Underground Railroad, United States
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Morning by Morning
This past week while I was stuffing my pie hole with a loaded baked potato at our BSF Fellowship, our leader posed a question: “Looking back over this year’s study of Isaiah, what do you think the Lord’s been teaching … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Following Jesus, God, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Matters of the Heart, Prayer, Seasons of Life, Uncategorized
Tagged Asia, Bible, BSF, BSF Fellowship, Christian, God, Isaiah, Isaiah 50:4, Jesus, Religion and Spirituality, Scripture memory
6 Comments
Up on the Watershed
My head is cloudy. I’m realizing with sorrow and unwillingness that even the sweetest things in life evolve and change. Of course we’ve been heading toward this fork for some time now, however the prongs of decision continue to force … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Family, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Home, Kids, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Seasons of Life, Uncategorized
Tagged bittersweet, Bunk bed, Bunkbeds, Children, emotions, Indigo Girls, Storms, Watershed
4 Comments
Counting the Cost at Lent
My school year has been transformative for several reasons, but the most notable has been joining BSF, Bible Study Fellowship. This international Bible study brings over 200,000 students together over 38 countries each week; it’s truly mind-boggling to think that … Continue reading
Posted in Compassion, Discipline Issues, Faith, Family, Following Jesus, God, gratitude, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Home, Matters of the Heart, Prayer, Seasons of Life
Tagged Africa, Bible Study Fellowship, God, Jesus, Lent, Pharisees, South America, West Michigan
3 Comments
More Exciting Than A Blizzard? A FREE BOOK!
It seems that nothing has the power to transform meteorologists into giddy children like a rollicking storm. Weathermen and women posted outdoors in the bluster seem thrilled to be at the center of such epic developments, their stern admonitions to skedaddle … Continue reading
Posted in Book Review, Contest, Discoveries, Faith, Family, FREE BOOK, Gifts, Giveaway!, God, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Holidays, Home, Kids, Matters of the Heart, Seasons of Life, Things I Love!, Uncategorized, writing/work
Tagged blizzard of 2011, Blog Giveaway, Book Giveaway, Book review, Contest, facebook, FREE BOOK, Grocery store, Mary DeMuth, Meteorology, Online Communities, school closings, Snow Day, snow storm, storm, Thin Places, Twitter, Zondervan, Zondervan Publishers
11 Comments
Book Giveaway Week!
This past week while huffing through a morning deathmatch with our eliptical machine, my gaze fell on the nearby spines of several books have been given to me over the years to review. Having gotten them with the intention of … Continue reading
Posted in Book Review, Contest, Faith, Family, Following Jesus, FREE BOOK, Gifts, Giveaway!, God, Heartbreak, Home, Kids, Literature/Books, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Prayer, Things I Love!, writing/work
Tagged Blog Giveaway, Book Giveaway, Book review, books, Contest, Daisy Chain, Defiance Texas Trilogy, FREE BOOK, Life In Defiance, Literature, Mary DeMuth, Slow Burn, Zondervan Publishers
12 Comments
What Women Tell Me: Finding Freedom From The Secrets We Keep, by Anita Lustrea
“As a girl and young woman, I memorized hundreds of Scripture verses in vacation Bible school and in Sunday school. I grew up memorizing the hymn book. I didn’t, however, grow up understanding much about God’s grace and freedom.” [pg. … Continue reading
Posted in Chores/Duties/Jobs, Discipline Issues, Discoveries, Faith, Family, Following Jesus, Food, Friends, God, gratitude, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Holidays, Home, Kids, Kitchen/Culinary Woes, Literature/Books, Marriage, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Music, Nature/Outdoors, Neighbors, Play, Prayer, Seasons of Life, Social Justice, Summer, Travel, Uncategorized, writing/work
Tagged Anita Lustrea, Bible, Christianity, Divine grace, God, Moody Bible Institute, Moody Radio, Religion and Spirituality, secrets, Sunday school, theology, United States
3 Comments
A Slow Unraveling
This fall my kitchen windows have seen more than just leaves changing color outside; they have stood witness to exhausting and unwelcome changes happening within our walls, around our table, in our kitchen. It’s taken me a more than a … Continue reading
Posted in Chores/Duties/Jobs, CRAZY kids, Family, Following Jesus, God, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Home, Marriage, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Nature/Outdoors, Neighbors, Play, Rants, Seasons of Life
Tagged preschool, school, BUSY FAMILY, BSF, calendars/schedules, College and University, College football, Time, Help!, rocket football, parisian tourist, subway
7 Comments
Bittersweet, by Shauna Niequist
What a delight to have been offered the opportunity to review Shauna Niequist’s latest book, Bittersweet, released last month by Zondervan. Stitched together with threads of the poetic and honest writing we devoured in Cold Tangerines, Shauna’s voice again rings … Continue reading
Found Art, by Leeana Tankersley
“Because such art is essentially redemptive, found art is also deeply spiritual, predating even urinal-man in its origins. In God’s hands, spit and mud become sight. Dust and rib become humanity. Darkness and void become world. Fishermen become followers. Virgin … Continue reading
Posted in Discoveries, Faith, Family, Following Jesus, God, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Home, Literature/Books, Marriage, Matters of the Heart, Nature/Outdoors, Seasons of Life, Travel
Tagged Bahrain, essays, Found Art, Leeana Tankersley, memoir, Middle East, Navy SEAL, San Diego, The Blog Tour Spot, Zondervan Publishers
2 Comments
Thin Places: a memoir, by Mary DeMuth
“The Celts define a thin place as a place where heaven and the physical world collide, one of those serendipitous territories where eternity and the mundane meet. Thin describes the membrane between the two worlds, like a piece of vellum, … Continue reading
BNE: Best Neighbors Ever
I first crossed over the asphalt divide six years ago with a plate of monster cookies and a welcome note, hoping that the new people across the street would be, at the very least, pleasant. What I never even considered … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Family, Finances, Following Jesus, Friends, Gifts, God, gratitude, Heartbreak, Home, Illness, Kids, Matters of the Heart, Neighbors, Social Justice
Tagged A Hundred for a Home, Blessings, Costa Rica, monster cookies, Neighbors, Sanfilippo Syndrome/MPS111, Taylor University
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Struggle Bus
One of the many lovely things about Christmas and the New Year is the way families and friends come together around the table for a meal. The dimly lit dining room aglow with reflections of the Christmas tree and Percy … Continue reading
Posted in Discoveries, Faith, Following Jesus, Friends, God, gratitude, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Holidays, Home, Illness, Kids, Matters of the Heart, Seasons of Life, Uncategorized
Tagged 2 Cor. 12:7-10, challenge, conditional love, Jesus, Mark 14:36, Paul, struggle, thorn in the flesh
2 Comments
[We Are] Overlooked
I happened upon a wonderful organization the other day that captured by imagination and my heart. It’s called Overlooked, and it’s all about delivering justice to those in this world who are overlooked everyday by their governments, neighbors, politicians, and … Continue reading
Posted in Discoveries, Faith, Family, Finances, Following Jesus, God, gratitude, Heartbreak, Holidays, Matters of the Heart, Social Justice
Tagged Africa, charity, Christmas, Hope, India, life, malaria net, Overlooked, t-shirt, Uganda, We Are Overlooked
1 Comment
What I Can’t Carry
Today I just needed a little time. Some space to breathe and room to think. Looking outside, the gray ceiling of clouds promised a harsh cold, but I didn’t care. I found my running shoes, clicked my dog to his … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Family, Following Jesus, God, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Matters of the Heart, Nature/Outdoors, Seasons of Life, Uncategorized
Tagged "Black River", Amos Lee, Bible, Christ, Church, Ephesians 4:26, Ghost, God, I Peter 4:8, Indigo Girls, iPod, Jesus, measuring sticks, Reuben, space to breathe, validation, winter walk
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It Must Be Raindrops…
I grew up listening to Oldies, and to this day I still enjoy a sugary doo-wop song or something that emerged from Motown at the height of its glory. I love The Platters, The Fleetwoods, Martha & the Vandellas…pretty much … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Family, Following Jesus, Food, Gifts, God, gratitude, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Holidays, Home, Kids, Matters of the Heart, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Seasons of Life, Uncategorized
Tagged "Making a Difference", "R.A.M.P", American Graffiti, Angel Tree, Appalachia, Appalachian Mountains, Bob Vila, Brian Williams, Chevy Suburban, Christmas, Country Music, Dee Clark, Doo-wop, guacamole, Hershey's kiss, Lowe's, Martha & the Vandellas, menopause, Motown, NBC News, rain, Raindrops, Salvation Army, Skype, soundtrack, Thanksgiving, The Fleetwoods, The Platters
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Sick House
Our two boys came home with some kind of bug this week, leading to a couple days home from school and confined to our sick house. A visit to the doctor yielded a “deep chest cold” diagnosis, for which … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Food, Gifts, God, gratitude, Heartbreak, Home, Illness, Kids, Marriage, Social Justice
Tagged Africa, cold, Flowers In The Attic, homeschool, Sequence, sick, VC Andrews
5 Comments
Tales of Kitchen Woes [take 43]
For the love of all that is good and holy and remotely edible. I swear to you that I can’t get a break with my attempts at preparing decent food–ever. A little back story: I am undergoing a grocery-related spending … Continue reading
Posted in Chores/Duties/Jobs, Family, Food, Heartbreak, Home, Kids, Kitchen/Culinary Woes, Marriage, Motherhood/Mommy Duties
Tagged abstinence, Awana, Carla, chainsaw, chicken nuggets, Costco, Daylight Savings Time, football, hot dogs, Jack Bauer, Jetson's, Pantry Challenge, Post Raisin Bran, serrated knife, sloppy joe's, Top Chef, vintage
7 Comments
Things I Don’t Understand Thursday: Gambling
Maybe it’s because we’re a one-income family or because I try to squeeze my grocery dollars as far as they’ll go. Maybe it’s because I feel a sense of accomplishment when I can produce an edible meal out of rice … Continue reading
Posted in Finances, Heartbreak, Kids, Rants, Travel, Vacation
Tagged Arby's, Benjamin Franklin, casino, chain smoking, craps table, dice, felt, gambling, High Roller, hot lunch, Little Caesar's Pizza, luck, Michigan economy, oxygen tank, slot machines, Wheel of Fortune
1 Comment
Four More Days
One of the great joys, and simultaneous “pinch-me’s” of my days, is a more fervent awareness of the slipping away. Time slipping away. Childhood…slipping. Days, seasons…slipping. It sounds depressing, I know, but actually I feel joyful that God has given … Continue reading
Posted in Family, gratitude, Growing Pains, Heartbreak, Home, Kids, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Play, Seasons of Life
Tagged Berenstein Bears, boys, Changes, Children, Chocolate Milk, Family, God, Kids, kisses, Love, Motherhood, Seasons of Life, snuggling
7 Comments
A Slow Burn
Last week I told you about Daisy Chain, a rare and wonderfully gripping piece of Christian fiction from author Mary DeMuth. The first in her Defiance Texas Trilogy, Daisy Chain weaves a tale of suspense and fear, grace and deliverance, … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Heartbreak, Literature/Books
Tagged A Slow Burn, Changes, Children, Church, Daisy Chain, Defiance Texas Trilogy, Disappointment, Emory Chance, Faith, Family, Friends, Giving/Sharing/Generosity, God, guilt, Hope, Jesus, kidnapping, Longing, Love, Mary DeMuth, Motherhood, Rejection, Seasons of Life, Spiritual Development, Zondervan Publishers
6 Comments
FREE RICE!
If you’ve ever stared into the eyes of a child who is malnourished or starving–whether in real life or in a magazine or on TV–you’ll find satisfaction in knowing that playing a game can simultaneously deliver food to those same … Continue reading
Posted in Chores/Duties/Jobs, Heartbreak, Random Fun, Uncategorized
Tagged Free Rice, starving, UN Food Bank, world hunger
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Chasing Pavements
Before anyone gets all “copyright lawyer” on me, I will admit the obvious: I’m “using/borrowing/adapting” Adele’s song title for my own use and express benefit. I was going to say, “So sue me,” but actually, no. Please don’t. I just … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Heartbreak, Nature/Outdoors, Seasons of Life
Tagged Adele, Chasing Pavements, Church, Disappointment, Faith, God, Hope, Jesus, Longing, Love, Nature, Photography, Running, Spiritual Development, Urban Dictionary
4 Comments
You’ve Got a Friend
Our youngest doesn’t see being 3 as a handicap, but truth be told, at his young age he has already experienced age discrimination. I know. The Law Offices of Sam Bernstein are about to be put on speed dial, trust … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Friends, Heartbreak, Home, Kids, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Neighbors, Play, Random Fun, Seasons of Life
Tagged age discrimination, American Girl, Carole King, dirt bike, handicap, preschool, quad, Sam Bernstein, Tony Hawk, TurboTears, vocabulary
5 Comments
Daisy Chain
Last spring I was privileged to hear Mary DeMuth speak at a Christian Writer’s Conference. In a room full of other brothers and sisters, alike in our love for the Lord yet quite possibly different in our perceptions of faith, … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Family, Friends, Heartbreak, Home, Kids, Literature/Books, Nature/Outdoors, Play
Tagged A Slow Burn, Christian Bookstore, Daisy Chain, Defiance, Francine Rivers, guilt, Harper Lee, Hope, Love, Mary DeMuth, redemption, remorse, sequel, suspense, Texas, Texas Trilogy, trilogy, Zondervan Publishers
5 Comments
Things I Don’t Understand Thursday: No-Shows
We’ve been trying to sell this sweet little kitten for a couple of weeks now. I would’ve thought that some eager high-schooler would’ve snatched her up like a Dutchman crossing a penny in the street, but alas, no. There have … Continue reading
Moments With Love
Ever since I was little I’ve had a nudging–gentle, but there–prompting me to act of behalf of those with small voices. Or no voices. I remember vividly lying in bed one night when I was probably 11, drawing a picture … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Family, Friends, Heartbreak, Home, Kids, Marriage, Motherhood/Mommy Duties, Seasons of Life
Tagged adoption, capitalism, Children, Faith, Family, Giving/Sharing/Generosity, God, Hope, Jesus, Kids, Longing, Love, mission trips, mission work, Motherhood, Seasons of Life, Spiritual Development, Uganda
2 Comments
