finding God in the wasteland (Isaiah 35:1)
Out of curiosity, I once googled "how to communicate with a deaf person." I read the lists, all written by hearing people. Some of the suggestions were accurate, others made me shake my head in despair or giggle with amusement. A majority group speaking for a minority simply doesn't cut it, so I decided to …
Continue reading Tips for Communicating with a Deaf Person
Often when I make a mistake, I feel foolish and sick at heart, and apologize all over myself. I'm so sorry I did that! It was so dumb of me. I'm so stupid sometimes. I've done this repeatedly in awkward situations or difficult relationships. When tension arises, I often take the blame and retreat. But …
1. I once licked a pig's snout to earn $2.50. When my (then) future mother-in-law found that out, she said she always did want frugal wives for her sons. 2. I didn't get along with my 7th grade teacher, and I'm not even sure why. He was a very good teacher and I learned a …
I did not think I was going to write another post on church rules, but as I read the comments and emails following my simple story, one piece of the whole subject kept peskily scratching at the door of my mind. My story left out important parts of the church rules discussion because I cannot …
On a Thursday morning about a year ago, I received one text after another saying a variation of the same message: "We won't be coming to small group tonight." The house was cleaned (no small feat with my little children), the shopping was done and the food was made, and Will had a lesson prepared. …
Growing up, I was mostly very compliant with rules of any sort. I didn't just accept everything at face value--I often turned things over in my mind and tried to make sense of them--but I didn't usually challenge those things even if I thought they might be wrong. For me, keeping peace and avoiding hurt …
Dear friends, I'm writing to you about how I think you could do a better job of arguing for what you believe regarding church rules. Please, don't think me hopelessly arrogant. I'm not too proud to know that I'm as imperfect as anyone else. But the advocate in me wants to enable both sides to …
I almost feel apologetic for the pensive nature of my last few posts; I say almost, because the reality is that life is not always easy, and sometimes the most powerful thing we can do for each other is to say "I identify with you." Still, last night as I was drifting off to sleep, …
Laughter regularly splashes over my life, such as when my three-year-old mischievously puts his clean clothes in the fridge, and when my six-year-old exclaims, "Mama look in the mirror! Your eyebrows are bushy." I find joy in new friendships and new opportunities. I am forever grateful for a good family and a cozy nest to …
When Will and I got married, we bought a dear little three-acre patch of overgrown property in the country. A crumbling-down house stood in one corner of the lot, and most of the rest of the area was covered with trees--a luxury for Kansas. We cleared out a space in the trees and moved in …
