Even in the daylight, it looked like a scary movie set. We stared through our minivan windows, waiting for Oliver to emerge from the scene. I double-checked the house number Oliver's mom had given me. My six-year-old son had invited two school friends to Wednesday night church. It felt like a … [Read more...] about The House a Dumpster Built & The Surprises Inside
Gratitude
Confessions of a Discontented Dreamer
Last year around this time I had a vivid dream. It was the stuff of cinema, where you sit up in bed, rub sleep from your eyes, and discover your dream has come true. Only in this case there was a twist. I place zero stock in the content of my strange and discombobulated nighttime dreams. I marvel … [Read more...] about Confessions of a Discontented Dreamer
Unlikely Reasons for Gratitude: Needing Help
It’s almost taboo in our Western culture that thrives on independence and producing. We applaud a man who “pulls himself up by his bootstraps.” We admire a liberated woman, and maybe we even sing along when we hear an old recording of Frank Sinatra singing, “I did it my way!” There’s a sense of … [Read more...] about Unlikely Reasons for Gratitude: Needing Help
Unlikely Reasons for Gratitude: Change
In 1987 on their debut album, the group Exposé had a song called "Seasons Change." It was a pop culture lament over lost love and time. Thirty years later that song still occasionally gets stuck in my head. "Change" gets a bad rap, especially in the song. But recently I've been really thankful … [Read more...] about Unlikely Reasons for Gratitude: Change
When Thanksgiving Gets Obstructed
Maybe you’ve noticed this phenomenon at your house…you flip the calendar to November, and about a thousand Christmas catalogs rush into your mailbox! Every year it's like someone is aiming a fire hose filled with junk mail right into the mailbox. It kind of gets in the way of all the talk about … [Read more...] about When Thanksgiving Gets Obstructed
Growing Gratitude
Back in the day when the boys were 2, 3, and 4 years old, it was a little rugged around our house. I was plagued by my inability to mother like I thought I should--you know, teaching my toddlers to use their manners, say thank you, and always obey. But since that rarely went as planned, I almost … [Read more...] about Growing Gratitude