Once upon a time there were three women named Mary. One gave birth to God’s Son. The other sat at the feet of the Rabbi Messiah as a disciple during a time when women couldn’t learn as men–there were no women disciples before Jesus and this Mary. The third Mary, a woman once entrapped by seven demons was given the …
Next Year’s Christmas: What will you do differently?
The Cotton Exchange, downtown Wilmington, NC This Christmas season seemed to be extra crazy. I heard myself saying with my outside voice, “I am so ready for Christmas to get here so I can be done!” As soon as the words rolled out of my mouth I desperately wanted to rewind them back. I was horrified by my outburst, as …
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Thankful for the Darkness (2011 post 2nd edition)
There is something magical about Christmas lights. Ordinary homes transform into gumdrop houses. The outline of barren trees form graceful shapes against the darkness, and inside my home the lights from our tree cast a warm glow. I love to sit in their grace listening to the quiet and counting my blessings. But it struck me the other night that …
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Not Alone: My New Walking Buddy
I am a people person, and in the past I really didn’t like being alone. I didn’t like to shop, eat at restaurants, or exercise alone. But I’ve learned through the years that being alone is a big part of growing up–at least it has been in my life. I remember how shocked and hurt I was the first year of marriage when I realized that my …
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A Cloudy Sky
As I walked outside before the hint of dawn this morning, my usual greeting party was not there. Clouds covered my friends who twinkle in the dark morning sky. Only a bright half moon said, “Hello.” But as I watched the clouds move I saw glimpses of stars hiding on the other side. Breaks in the clouds betrayed their mirage. The …
