Faith, Family, and Forging a Difference
Valentine’s Day is just a couple of weeks away. While I’m not a huge fan of commercialized holidays or mass-produced pink and red symbols of romantic love, I do appreciate the reminder to express love. I’ve been meditating this week specifically on love for my neighbors. Note the manifestations of love identified in 1 John … [Read more...] about Love Your Neighbor
Earlier this week I pulled from the freezer what remained of our leftover Christmas ham. The ensuing dish was amazing! Soup ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1/2 of a red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 2 cups cooked ham, chopped 2 cups cooked black beans or 1 (15 oz.) … [Read more...] about Cuban Ham and Bean Soup with Cilantro Lime Rice
Since the very beginning of our relationship, my husband and I have made a habit of reading together and intentionally discussing what we’ve read. In fact, during the 9 months we dated, we read Russell Moore’s Adopted for Life, C. S. Lewis’ Pilgrim's Regress, and Tony Dungy’s Quiet Strength (what a mix, huh?). As we proceeded … [Read more...] about Reading With Your Spouse
The judicious purchase of foods and household items in bulk can be a wonderful strategy for decreasing how much you spend on groceries. While bulk purchases often have lower per unit costs, they do cost more upfront because you are buying large quantities. A 16 oz. package of pasta costs $0.99. You can get the same pasta for only $0.83 … [Read more...] about Handling the Upfront Costs of Buying in Bulk
One year ago today, a very precious friend of mine passed away unexpectedly. She was incredibly sweet and servant hearted. We became friends when I was living in Houston several years ago. When I moved away, we maintained contact through phone conversations every few weeks and in-person visits once or twice each year. Before her … [Read more...] about Keeping in Touch with Friends from Your Past
Last week, in light of my goal of memorizing at least one Bible verse or passage each month during 2013, I described some reasons why scripture memorization is beneficial. Today, I’ll discuss some approaches to memorizing scripture. No approach is necessarily the “best.” Instead, the most efficient and effective approach for each of us depends … [Read more...] about Memorizing Scripture (Part 2)
Every day of 2012 presented opportunities to learn something new. When I reflect on the days of 2012 collectively, several of the lessons I’ve learned stand out. Make keeping in touch with friends from your past a priority. With so many obligations vying for my time and effort, it is tough to maintain contact with friends from my past. In … [Read more...] about 12 Lessons Learned in 2012
I memorized scripture regularly during my teen years and as an undergraduate student. Over the last several years, my memorization has become sporadic. Thanks to some introspection and goal planning, this is about to change! I’ve set for myself the goal of memorizing at least one Bible verse or passage each month during 2013. Today, I’ll … [Read more...] about Memorizing Scripture (Part 1)
