Choosing Joy

I know that keeping up with the household mess is a struggle for every family and mine is no exception.  Our kids are getting old enough now that they really can help out, but often my husband and I will do the chores ourselves to avoid hearing the whining...

The other night I attended a painting party, one of those events where everyone gets together and embellishes a piece of wood cut in a whimsical shape to use as a door decoration.  Pinterest is full of these things.  Everyone at this event was given a heart-shaped cut out in anticipation of Valentine’s Day and so the pink and red paint were flowing freely...

Through Netflix, I discovered a man named Steven Furtick who is preaching and leading Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.  He is a passionate speaker and his podcasts are quite thought provoking.  Today, I heard him speak about guarding our hearts to live in the joy that comes from Christ...

This time of year is always reflective.  We think about what we’ve accomplished and what’s not working.  I can think of a few things I would like to improve about myself, but this year I’ve decided to look toward God’s Word for guidance on what my goals should be...

I love Christmas cards!  I love reading Christmas letters! I love getting updated photos of every one’s kids!  I also love sending out our family’s Christmas cards. I love showing off our shining faces and telling our funny stories!  I...

I once met a woman who had decided to always speak in a positive manner.  She never complained, she could always see the blessing in every situation, and she avoided every opportunity to compare herself to others.  I have to admit, I had a hard time relating to her at first...

So our sweet baby went from sitting up on her own to crawling in a matter of days and is now all over the place.  I am not a huge baby-proofer, but I was concerned about our fireplace hearth.  It is about 10 inches high and 12 feet long, absolutely perfect for pulling up on and cruising along...

Though we do believe in Santa Claus, we try really hard to deemphasize his role in the Christmas season and to instead focus on the excitement of the celebration of the birth of Jesus. December means time for our facebook feeds to be filled with funny and sometimes inappropriate pictures of sweet, smiling elves posing in unique locals...

Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday, but it isn’t just the fabulous food and time with family that I enjoy.  To me, Thanksgiving is a “holy day.” God has given us so much more than we deserve. We are to give Him credit for all of it and use it all for His glory...

Years ago, I spent four enlightening years walking the rolling hills of a liberal arts college.  I sought a degree in Religion, naively thinking that it would equip me for ministry work, specifically children’s ministry.  However, as I looked over the course listings, I found classes like “Sociology of Religion,” "History of Theology," “Philosophy of Religion,” and “Basketball as Religio