During the twenty years that we lived overseas, I often lost track of upcoming American holidays. Before wide-spread internet connection, I have to admit that the last Monday of May was usually spent with end of the year parties and summer plans. Yet, I vividly remember my first Memorial Day weekend back in the states in 2007. As …
The Cultivation of Willingness
An orchid named Iris. She was a very special plant given to me by a very special friend. I’d never had an orchid before, but I did a little research and decided to give her a go. I discovered that this variety liked heat and humidity, so I put her on my Taiwan balcony beside the washer and dryer. …
The True Weight of Bitterness
I remember reading once that the ancient Greeks punished murderers by tying their victims to the body of the one who was found guilty of the crime. Now, I don’t know if this is true or not, but it gave me an excellent visual of the weight and burden we carry with us when we do not forgive. …
The Sewage of the Soul
“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Mark announced. “Sewage was coming out the roof downspout!” The neighbors across the street had been experiencing some blockage in their septic system, so being the DIY types that they are, they had rented a sewage “snake” and were trying to alleviate the problem. It ended up that the obstacle was out …
You Have a Choice
Picture a hurricane lamp globe. If we take it in hand and hold it horizontally, we would have an opening on the left side and one on the right. Let’s say that the hurricane represents our soul, the hub of our personality filled with emotions and thoughts. On one side, it is open and connected to our spirit …
So Why am I not Perfect?
Yesterday, I shared my first step of faith with you from my Mother’s point of view. As I think back to the years following, I find that although I accepted Jesus’ forgiveness of my past and future sins, I didn’t automatically become nice. Blurbs from my own childhood diary unearth my mischievous and selfish attitudes: January 6, …
What is your purpose?
Working from our innermost being to our outer, we are comprised of spirit, soul, and flesh. As we have talked about, the soul houses the mind and the emotions. When motivated by the outer world (flesh), our thoughts are selfish and want everything centered around our own desires. We also have the option to draw our …