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Finding Him
Last summer I had a chance to go to a Toby Mac concert. I’m a lover of christian music and so I couldn’t wait! I enlisted my two daughters to go with me and, since we all grew up listening to christian music, they were in. It was a little different than what I expected. I was the minority being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but listening to Toby Mac was incredible. In the middle of the concert, Toby got a break and they brought in a preacher. He was all about saving the children in Ethiopia. He had been there and could…
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Celebrate
Hi Friends. Today is my birthday. As I’ve reflected on this special day I can’t be more grateful that I was born in the family I was born in. I’m so very grateful for all of the people I have in my life. Some have been fleeting and some, decades. (yes I’m that old). 🙂 Birthdays can be a day of gift giving, well wishing, thoughtful gestures towards the one you love moving into the next year of their life. Today is no different. I thought I’d share with you a small gift exchange that really made my day this month, unbeknownst to the giver of the gift. It was…
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Let’s Play Chess
Not too long ago, I invited a son from another mother to move into our apartment. His circumstances were grim. Here was a grown man with two young children living in the basement family room of a family friend. This room was probably 300 sq. ft. at best. He didn’t have his own bathroom, no kitchen, and no actual bedroom. This room was his home. His bed and the children’s bunk beds were in there. So was his heat plate to make his meals. This circumstance was difficult at best but fit his price range at $400.00 a month. Here in our apartment of 1300 sq. ft. was a one…
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The Change
Last week I called the airlines to get tickets to Seattle for the big convention this weekend. Normally, I’d just go on the app and reserve there, but I had a voucher for $600.00 that I wanted to use. The lady was nice, helped me through it all and reserved the tickets for me. Fast forward to today. I went on my app to check in early and there was no reservation. I was sure I had seen the reservation last Friday after I got off the call but I had no trips, so on the phone I went. The first woman I spoke with had no help for me. …
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What Really Matters
When I was little, about 5 or 6, I watched a show on TV about a man doing tricks. He did this trick where he moved this pencil with his mind across the table. Boy was I impressed! I thought for sure I could do that simple trick if he could! I went into a quiet room, put a pencil on the floor and got to thinking. I really tried hard to move that pencil. It didn’t budge. For a long time I wondered why I couldn’t do it when this man on TV could. As I got older, I realized it was just a trick, and he was a…
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In The Details
I am really lucky to be able to walk to work. My shop is only a block and a half away from where I live which is a blessing all by itself. Most of the time I walk to work but on shipping days I drive my Ford to take packages to the post office. This Monday, I loaded up the Ford and drove the boxes to the post office in the back where we can drop off multiple packages. Usually I can park my running truck by the bins but this day I parked in a stall. I finished unpacking the back and jumped in to start the truck. …
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The small ask
I admit, sometimes I feel this cloud of discouragement just over my head, threatening to pour down rain on me. I know how real depression is and sometimes it’s a daily battle. This one particular morning, I was heading to the Temple to worship. The cloud over my head this morning was heavy. I needed to know my Heavenly Father loved me so I asked Him for a tender mercy. Maybe an “I love you” just from God. I said Heavenly Father, can you make sure there is a parking spot in the second row? I had enough faith for this simple ask, and so I drove down the second…
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Don’t Give Up
There are times I wonder where the miracles in my life are when I’m literally seeing the miracles in others lives. I have to admit, sometimes I feel forgotten. Then, as I focus on this thought, I start doubting lots of things, like am I loved? Why has He turned His back on me? This self defeating behavior could go deeper to I’m not worthy. This is a hard place to be. We, as children of a loving God, are never forgotten. We’re in the middle of our trial and that is what we see, feel, hear. The trial is bigger than life. It’s like Peter, walking on the…
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The Unexpected Post-Pornography Blessing
Earlier this month, I shared my testimony about pornography at the pulpit. I felt hesitant because it involved my 20-something son. I had recently had a conversation with him, wherein he said, “I’m thankful for my pornography problem, because I came to Jesus through fighting it. I don’t think I would have built a relationship with Him otherwise.” This was inspiring to me because his mission was really hard for him and he didn’t love it (although now he is starting to realize what it did for him). But he clearly recognizes the fruits of his pornography battle. As I shared his insights, I was nervous. (I told the audience…
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Collecting Pearls of Wisdom
Do you love our new Logo? It’s two hands holding many pearls of different sizes and colors. And why pearls? Because pearls are beautiful treasures that arise out of difficulty. So often, miracles–blessings, tender mercies, providence–come when we are in difficulty. When we call out to Him, God often gives us enough strength to smooth over the rocks in our lives. He doesn’t remove the difficulties, but he helps us through. If we choose to seek and remember these interactions, we can have a collection of memories, pearls of wisdom and tenderness. Treasuring up His miracles creates a cumulative string of pearls ~ an assurance that those experiences treasured and…
