November Joy

November Joy: Give Thanks in ALL Circumstances

“‘Fleas!’ I cried. ‘Betsie, the place is swarming with them!’ “We scrambled across the intervening platforms, heads low to avoid another bump, dropped down to the aisle and hedged our way to a patch of light. “‘Here! And here another one!’ I wailed. ‘Betsie, how can we live in such a place!’ “‘Show us. Show us how.’…

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When Life is Hard…STAND

When I was in my mid-twenties, I received a phone call I never wanted to get.  On the line was the doctor who had just performed exploratory surgery on my father.  He told me the news was bad and they had discovered colon cancer that had metastasized quite extensively into his liver. I was in…

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When Theory and Reality Collide

I am regularly surprised at the speed of which I can go from being peaceful and happy to flat-out irritated. My life is in the thick of raising four mostly-small children.  I was a really great parent before I had kids.  Because at that time, parenting was only a theory.  But when reality hit and…

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Beginning November With JOY

This was the sweetest face I had ever seen.  Five hours old, wrapped up like a burrito, this little one was the answer to years (and years) of prayers and dreams.  November 1st was the day.  The day I became a mother. Eight years ago I stepped into that hospital room with much trepidation, so…

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Starting Next Week…November Joy

Kids piling in the car, already fired up and in a mood, everyone hungry and a little bit snarky.  Traffic is slow, home did not clean itself while I was away.  They are still crabby and I might be too.  Life can so ruin my good mood. God keeps asking me to answer this question:…

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