Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. —John 14: 27 In my mind today, I'm thinking of the new year and all it will hold. I want it to hold peace for us all. Peace in our homes. Peace for the sick and elderly. Peace for the neglected children. Peace...

Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God… Isaiah 35: 3-4 In my mind today, I'm going through lists: bills, cards, church events, and gifts list. ...

Zacchaeus. . . was seeking to see who Jesus was. (Luke 19:2, 3) In my mind, I've been troubled. I, Sal the Sinful Gal, have sinned in what I've done and what I failed to do. Who wouldn't choose to laugh and party with the sinners instead of moping around crying with the Saints, right? Yes back row close your mouths, Sal is not a Saint. ...

In my mind today, I'm thinking of the thing that happens to all life on earth. Obligations and time seem to keep me too busy to stop and contemplate these last things. I'm so busy like most of you checking off my list and busy living. The last things don't scare me as they once did. I have accepted it...

In my mind today, I'm thinking of Beelzebub. I scroll through my news feed and I see tragedy and division. I read posts from people who think the idea of Lucifer is a fable conjured by humans. As I look around each day the evidence keeps piling up that there is indeed something happening here and it's becoming clear. There is a battle of good versus evil. There always has been and that is part of our human story...

I am the good shepherd. . . . My sheep know my voice, and I know them. —John 10: 14, 27 In my mind today, I'm thinking of the hectic past month. I'm missing my silent morning moments. It makes me think of one of my favorite English teachers Ms. ...

Whew! Crosses! “Do not worry about. . . what you are to say” (Luke 12:11). In my mind lately, I've wanted to write and to share but I haven't found the words, time, or energy. I'm still here fighting to empty myself for what really matters. ...

“Lord, help me overcome my biases. I want to be able to see you in every person I meet.” As I read my devotional this morning, I smiled thinking of the message. I remembered as a child watching the PBS program Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood and singing along. ...

A time to love, and a time to hate. (Ecclesiastes 3:8) In my mind today, I'm mulling over my readings. I was excited to read Ecclesiastes today. I hear the song "Turn, Turn, Turn" and smile. These verses are so poetic. I love anything linguistic: words, rhymes, puns, or sentence structure. It makes my brain hum. I drive my family crazy with my nonsensical outbursts as I turn everything into a show tunes sing-a-long...

They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come. (Luke 7:4) Many times I ponder why I'm still here. My mother's sister began falling at age 38. We said goodbye to her at the age of 43. Doctors had no clue why she wasting away so fast. At her death, the diagnosis was not clear. ...

Judge Less Not.... In my mind, I try always to be understanding and open. Everyone has a story. The world all treats us in unique ways. Sometimes we draw the short straw and aren't blessed with a secure, loving family. We are all born with our own life path. Bad situations encounter us as we walk through this valley on earth no matter what faith we choose to guide us to our eternal life...

Your faith flourishes ever more. (2 Thessalonians 1:3) The past two weeks have been valleys. I trudged through them and at some points begged for an end to my time here. The struggles of my family to care for me and the expense medically to be here weighed on me. ...

Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice. —Psalm 55: 17 (NLT) Today is one of my pity party days. My body is crying out in distress. I think every inch of me has an ache. The super, quick road trip to Vanderbilt in Nashville and back is the worst. My body is breaking down and I have to face it. By the time I arrive home, I'm on the brink of a mental breakdown, sore, and dehydrated. No fun. So, I cry out in distress and He hears me...

“God. . . has planted eternity in the human heart” (Ecclesiastes 3: 11 NLT). When I was born, my family lived on Perry Circle in our small town. Although it was part of our government housing authority or the "Jets" or "The West Side," it was home. ...

Choices We all have choices. These are what shape our lives. As a teenager: Do we avoid the happening parties of our youth because we want to keep ourselves from smoking pot or drinking underage? Do we risk our reputation of being cool? Do we risk awakening a demon of addiction to fit in with the popular clique? Do we trade sex in hopes of receiving love? Do we miss a social gathering to complete important assignments? Do we sleep in or go to church on Sunday? Do we text and drive? Do we study? Do we complete our assignments? Do we cheat on tests and homework? Do we skip school? Do we embrace others or snub them? Being a teenager is so hard. ...

Ah, today is the beginning of a new school year in my little town of West Tennessee. It's the week of inservice before the students begin. I had twenty years of inservice before my health forced me to retire. The excitement of it always made me giddy...

Last week the verse "And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet." haunted me. I tried to interpret it into my own being. I have this flaw within me that wants to help and give until it becomes unhealthy. ...

Thorns In my thoughts today I'm reminded of thorns. Thorns come in all shapes and sizes to the human existence. We have emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical thorns to deal with all throughout our lives. Summer is the time of relaxing, holidays with family, and lazy days. ...

Fathers Have you ever seen a man that loves to hold infants? The babies that are fresh to the world and just little squirmy, helpless creatures? This is one of the reasons I love my husband so much. He loves holding tiny, helpless babies. It's just so endearing to watch him...

I've been on earth almost half of a century. My life has had many highs and several lows. To stay sane you have to just roll with the changes trusting that whatever storm we are facing will pass just as those fun, love-filled times did. Through it all we have to put our best foot forward and finish our race. Which foot should we use? What pace should we run? All these come from our moral compass...