‘Many women today are overwhelmed with the complexity of life. They are floundering because they have no focal point. When their expectations are not realized, their emotional equilibrium erupts. When career, marriage, or children do not give them the security or significance they anticipated, their confidence evaporates. They are influenced by the unrealistic images of life and womanhood portrayed in the media. Their purpose in life is shared by their desires to attain the personal happiness they are told they deserve.  So they are not only disappointed by unrealized expectations, they are defeated. Christian women are not immune to this. A four-letter word causes us enormous problems: self. Our self-inclination…

Challies posted this fun video on how to stay creative: And I of course thought of the two most creative people I know: Taylor and Samara Lynde.   Check out Taylor’s paintings here and Samara’s (super adorable and fun) Woolster Monsters here. (They obviously do NOT need to watch this video!)  

This morning, a semi-truck went down our alley and methodically ripped down all of the power and phone lines that go to our home and all of the homes next to us. To the driver’s credit, he or she did stop. (I’ve been praying for the driver because MAN! I bet they’re having a BAD DAY.) Within minutes we had a fire truck present. (Downed lines never being safe.) Within a couple of hours, an electric company truck with a GIGANTO new utility pole arrived. And now we’re about to lose power for who knows how long—but honestly, all I can feel about the whole thing is gratitude. How grateful…

Nothing like a walk with friends in God’s beautiful creation to start our week off right …    

Busy people are often lazy people. We get a lot done in a RUSH so we can slack off more. It’s a sin to be sure and Kevin DeYoung’s associate  pastor nails it in a recent sermon (the notes of which can be found here too): Proverbs on Laziness (Time to jump into my work now, eh? 😉 )  

I just received official word from Peacemakers that on July 1 they are raising the price of my DVD series (The Peacemaking Church Women’s Study: Living the Gospel in Relationships) from $79 to $149. Plus, the study guides are increasing in price from $8.95 to $9.95/ea ($45 for a pack of 5 rather than $40). The good news is that the study will now include ten study guides rather than the current five. But still, this is a big price jump and I sure would like as many people as possible to get the study for the current rate. So would you please consider sharing this information with your church,…

“No human being was ever meant to be the source of personal joy and contentment for someone else … Your spouse, your friends, and your children cannot be the sources of your identity. When you seek to define who you are through those relationships, you are actually asking another sinner to be your personal messiah, to give you the inward rest of soul that only God can give. Only when  I have sought my identity in the proper place (in my relationship with God) am I able to put you in the proper place as well. When I relate to you knowing that I am God’s child and the recipient…

Kevin DeYoung (as usual) shares profound thoughts on lots of topics on his blog. But  his inclusion of this photo is what cracked me up today:  

We officially wrapped our schoolyear today and I can’t really believe that I now have a third grader! That sounds so OLD. I mean, I really remember third grade. Lots of details. How I felt. Third grade is old enough to remember childhood! How grateful I am for God’s grace as a parent. For all of the years we’ve been in co-op, we’ve had two end of year traditions: Beach Day and Bowling. This year was no exception and I really enjoyed mining the photos to see just how much my favorite oldest daughter has changed over the years. Beach Day Playdate (current and circa 2008 ) … Bowling Fun…

Another example of why I enjoy so many posts by  The Onion: Nation Down to Last Hundred Grownups