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    Please pray for Stephen!!

    A dear and wonderful friend of mine had a huge shock this week … her teenage son was found unconscious in a pool of his own vomit! No indication his entire life … but apparently he has a brain deformity that was causing fluid to build up on this brain. They did emergency brain surgery and he is stable. But as you can imagine, this family could use our prayers. Oh–and even in the midst of these trials, they are just such a funny family. Here are some of the quotes she shared from the week: “Mom, I know you’re 17 years and six months out of practice, but if…

  • Grace in Daily Life

    So much wisdom in one little question …

    My friend Sarah Joy just OOZES wisdom. I love interacting with her because I’m always encouraged AND I learn stuff too. Recently she made a passing comment in an email that I don’t think she’d mind me sharing (let me know if you do, Sarah Joy! 🙂 ) … Reflecting on the HOORAY-ness aspect of my touching yeast (she was the friend who emailed me the pretzel recipe), she mentioned how she is learning more and more to say, instead of “I don’t know how to do that!” … “Can you teach me?” She said it’s a great way to start friendships with older women in the church who are…

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    Would anyone like to PROOF the draft study guide???

    Thanks for all of the encouraging comments re: the label for the DVD disks. I am very encouraged and HOPEFUL that we’ll actually be able to get this project DONE of these days. Quick question: Would any of you like to see the STUDY GUIDE before it goes to the graphic design artist to be professionally “laid-out”? Maybe glance through it; help catch any typos; clear up confusing writing; recommend a resource to be included, etc.?? I know that most of the readers of this blog have heard me teach and/or read Peacemaking Women so you’d be familiar with the concepts … Drop me an email if you’re interested and…

  • Sin & Repentance

    Combatting Weariness (HT: Ajith Fernando)

    COMBATING WEARINESS WITH ALTERNATE FORMS OF EXERCISE (Written by Ajith Fernando after he preached 13 times in four days in Ukraine) A few decades ago the cricket-loving world was shocked when a popular and brilliant English cricketer said that the pressure of having to perform according to people’s expectations and the resulting stress often led him to take cannabis after a game. Cannabis is a narcotic. A narcotic is ‘a drug (as opium) that in moderate doses dulls the senses, relieves pain, and induces profound sleep but in excessive doses causes stupor, coma, or convulsions’ (Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary). Tiredness, especially if it has been accompanied by stress, makes us…

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    No more feeling guilt about this ONE thing!

    Do you ever stare at that pile of extra Bibles in your basement and feel GUILTY because you know that “somewhere” “out there” Christians don’t have enough Bibles? That pastors in a village share one Bible, cherish a single page, etc. etc.? Well, I’ve felt guilty for years about this exact situation–but no more. After checking with Fred (after all, one of the reasons why we hadn’t given them away before now was because they had sentimental value to us … the Bible that I was given the night I was saved; a Bible from Fred’s college/Urbana days, etc.), I boxed them all up and shipped them to: Christian Resources…

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    The Ultimate Diet (HT RZIM!)

    No, this is not a post about making an idol out of food. (Although that does remind me that I haven’t posted about that topic for awhile, have it? Hmmmmmmmm … I’ll try to remember to do that. It’s been a fairly sweet season of not being at my WORST regarding this habitual temptation to sin but not being “perfectly” disciplined either. Kind of like life, eh?) ANYWAY … this post is an encouragement for you all to pop on over to Ravi Zacharias Ministries (“RZIM”) and read a recent Slice of Infinity: The Ultimate Diet (by J.M. Njoroge) Oh my! But the opening illustration is (appropriately) disturbing! But the…

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    More pics from Chicago …

    Just a few more fun pics from our most recent Chicago adventure … The Millennium Park “Chicago Bean” (fine art thinga-ma-jiggy) Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh … a facial & makeover at State Street Macy’s! Date night with Fred–BOX SEATS (courtesy my sistah Kali and “her Fred”) to Orchestra Hall to hear the Chicago Symphony Orchestra AND Chorus. “Box F for Fred” my Freddy said. 🙂   Star Show at the Adler Planetarium! Dinosaurs at the Field Museum! Fun fun fun … Ferris Wheel on Navy Pier! Is it any wonder why we love this city?