Sanson
“That can’t be safe” were the first words that left my mouth when I saw them. They weren’t in a cage or behind a fence. They weren’t tied to a post or restrained in any way. After a morning spent walking through beautiful butterfly gardens and a sanctuary of hummingbirds in a nature park in […]
Today I Wrote a Blog
Today I wrote a blog. When I began writing Today I blogs two years ago, my goal was to practice being present in the moment. This was a phrase I had heard my whole life and it never made sense to me. After all, how can I be anything but present in the moment I’m […]
Simply Christmas Day 5
Day 5: Read Matthew 5 Our Simply Christmas devotional ends where Jesus ministry begins. Matthew 5 opens with the Sermon on the Mount, and for the next two chapters we read a simple, yet revolutionary invitation to live as Jesus did. So let’s once more make it simple, focusing on the words of Jesus that […]
Simply Christmas Day 4
Day 4: Read Matthew 4 While the first three chapters talk about Jesus, in Matthew 4 we begin to hear more from Jesus. As he was tested in the wilderness, he battled every temptation with words from Scripture. After forty days and nights of fasting and relying on God alone to sustain him, the words […]
Simply Christmas Day 3
Day 3: Read Matthew 3 The story of Jesus jumps decades ahead in Matthew 3. Jesus isn’t a baby anymore, or even a toddler. His teenage years are skipped altogether! Instead, the story picks up with his baptism, so we read a spiritual birth immediately after his physical birth. But we tend to talk about […]
Simply Christmas Day 2
Day 2: Read Matthew 2 I love the history and prophecy we read about in Matthew 2. Sometimes these details can get lost in the story. We more commonly focus on the wise men, their gifts, and the star that led them. But part of why Jesus’ birth was so miraculous is because of the […]
Simply Christmas Day 1
A simple look at the arrival of Jesus Matthew 1-5 tells us so much more than the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth! We also trace his family history, read prophecies that were realized, and discover the hope we have still today through the coming of the Messiah. In this 5-day devotional, we’ll look at the arrival […]
Today I Took the Train
Today I took the train. I love train travel. Amtrak, if you’re listening, I’m not an influencer but I could become one for you! As a kid, my favorite birthday present was a day trip to Chicago from Kewanee, IL. I loved seeing all the small towns pass by and visiting the snack car. If […]
Today Was My Birthday
Today was my birthday. I turned 33 years old. I am one of those people who love birthdays! I love celebrating my own and others’ lives. Birthdays are a reminder–and socially acceptable way–to intentionally celebrate each other. I believe in recognizing the intrinsic worth of each and every person, and birthdays are the perfect opportunity […]
Today I Gave Permission
Today I gave permission. I gave 3rd grade art students permission to be creative. I was substitute teaching for an elementary art class, leading them in a Christmas card craft. It was a pop-up tree card, where you would open it to find a Christmas tree protruding from the paper. They were instructed to decorate […]
