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Lavish. My boys tend to go overboard when buying gifts for their sweethearts. We advise them to start small and work up as the relationship progresses. Frugal to a fault, that’s their dad and I. They ignore us and spend freely. God seems to favor their approach. This month, we’re exploring both John 15:12 NIV,…

February, the month of valentines, Cupid, and true love. It’s as full of counterfeits as a Monopoly set. Trade our savings account for a stack of Monopoly money? Never. It’s not real. But when it comes to love, we happily nibble on the chocolate-covered counterfeits of our culture. The Bachelor, rom-coms, and Disney movies color…

Harassed. Helpless. That was me a week ago. A computer issue arose when I changed websites. My task for the day: fix it. Tech savvy, I’m not. (Ask my children. They’ll tell you, once they stop laughing hysterically.) An hour and a half later, I was frustrated, in tears, and ready to swear at someone,…

I don’t do the New Year’s resolution thing. I’m setting priorities. Shooting for goals. Specific. Measurable. Written down in a conspicuous place. As I set my priorities, there’s a lot of what’s and not many who’s. I’m a doer. My husband is the people person. But I need relationships. I need the who’s. Our oldest…

The eruption occurs in the night. A huge bump in the middle of the forehead. An angry Mt. Acne. What to do? Concealer? Trade a red knot for a flesh-colored one? Ugh! Even with concealer, it’s unsightly. My eyes go straight to the spot, and I’m sure everyone else’s do too. Oh, for clear skin.…

Navy SEALs know a thing or two about what works and what doesn’t. If you are looking for progress, for spiritual success in 2014, get in on two tips SEALs learn early. Tip 1: Humble Eagles The American eagle holds his head high and proud on many U. S. military insignias. Except one—the Trident worn…

We wait. A lot. In grocery lines, for the school bell to ring, for last month’s business numbers. We heave a sigh, scan our cell phones, and wait for the time to pass. We wait in our spiritual lives too. For the weekend message. For a word from God. For change. Has the waiting left…

When I think of Egypt, my first thoughts go to Moses, the Ten Commandments, and the whole “Let my people go!”thing. But guess what? A reference shows up in Matthew’s account of the Christmas story, chapter two, verse fifteen: When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. (NIV)…

Selfless. I can think of no other word to describe the men and women who serve in the U.S. military. Now, I know—not all sign up for love of God and country. Some are adrenaline junkies looking for a challenge in our special operations forces (SOF). Others simply need discipline and direction. Reasons vary with…