I Got New Flooring This Week

New Flooring Project

Greetings Readers!

I have been busy packing up my household belongings to prepare for the installation of new flooring over the last few weeks.

The flooring installation began last Wednesday and continued through Saturday.

Aside from a few items they ran out of material for, the project is essentially done.

Because I’ve been directing and moving items around, and dusting repeatedly, these last few days, I’ve had little time to work on a Bible study post.

I did my research, but the actual crafting of a post will wait until next weekend.

Why next weekend?

Continue reading “I Got New Flooring This Week”

Brief Time Away Needed

Brief Time of Rest Needed

This is just a quick note to explain why I missed my usual posting last Sunday.

The week before, I needed to limit my screen time because of an intense headache and light sensitivity along with fatigue.

I spent one entire day in a dark room just resting.

People keep asking me if I get migraines.

I respond that I’ve never received an official diagnosis of migraines.

But I frequently get barometric pressure headaches. The worst headaches are when it threatens to rain but then it doesn’t.

Thus, I try to eat an anti-inflammatory diet most of the time. But I’m certainly not perfect at it.

This past Monday, I resumed working on a post hoping to get a study posted today.

But then that afternoon, an intense wave of grief shut me down again.

Continue reading “Brief Time Away Needed”

Needing A Recovery Weekend

As many of you know, last week was unusually full for me at work.

We hosted our denominational national gathering which required several back-to-back fourteen to fifteen-hour days.

The week went remarkably well considering hosting an event of this magnitude is not what we regularly do.

Thank you for your prayers as I participated in all of this.

In addition to the busy week, I have developed a head cold that is draining me even more.

Thus, the next installment of Why Did They Turn to Idolatry? | Part Three will wait another week.

In the meantime, I want to share how the Lord encouraged me throughout this past week.

Continue reading “Needing A Recovery Weekend”

Why Did They Turn to Idolatry? | Part Two

purpose

Yes, we are getting to part two this week.

Before we do, thank you for your prayers over the last week.

Last Tuesday, a coworker asked about my stress level regarding the upcoming conference we are hosting at my work.

I responded, “Frankly, I couldn’t care less right now.”

Granted, that response stemmed from what I shared with you last Sunday.

But by Wednesday, I realized my attitude had shifted in a positive direction. The new attitude is that this conference is just another work week.

  • Yes, there will be 1500 people on our campus over the next week that typically aren’t there.
  • Yes, I am tasked with things to do that are not a part of my normal work responsibilities that will involve extremely long hours each day.
  • And yes, I still have moments of sadness over the pet losses and some other expected losses that are looming on the horizon.

But, in the end, my purpose for next week does not differ from any other day.

What is that purpose and is it possible to relate it to today’s study?

Continue reading “Why Did They Turn to Idolatry? | Part Two”

Seeking Prayers From You

Yes, I said I would have part two of Why Did They Turn to Idolatry this week.

When I last posted, I knew with a brief trip coupled with a busier-than-usual workload at my day job, I would not have time to post something last Sunday.

Then, last Monday my husband and I said goodbye to our sweet dog of 14 years after having said goodbye to our sweet cat of nineteen years just back in September.

And the next two weeks will be unusually busy at my day job as we host a huge conference.

Continue reading “Seeking Prayers From You”

Why You Want But Don’t Receive

sister argument

If I am remembering correctly, my sister was in high school on a morning we quarreled over a magazine.

I am four years younger than her, so I would have been somewhere between the 5th-8th grade at the time of this argument.

Our fight eventually engaged our mother as a referee between us.

Interestingly, when my mother handed me the magazine I had been fighting so hard for, I recall feeling strangely disappointed.

Why did reading James 4:1-6 prompt this memory?

Continue reading “Why You Want But Don’t Receive”

Taking Some Recovery Time

This past week has not gone as I had originally planned.

I got sick with a head cold while traveling back from visiting family.

And I am still in recovery.

Thus, I have not prepared my intended post for this date.

Instead, I have been taking care of my body by sleeping and drinking plenty of hot tea or brothy soups.

My pets have enjoyed getting to snuggle more with me than usual.

Each day I am making progress and anticipate resuming a more normal routine soon.

Meanwhile, as you prepare for the festivities of this Christmas season, please take some time to ponder the following prayer of Christ to God, found in the gospel of John.

Continue reading “Taking Some Recovery Time”

What Causes You Anxiety?

Resiliency

Our answer to this question is more nuanced in 2022 than five years ago.

In the past five years, humanity has experienced a global pandemic, ongoing political turmoil, supply chain failures, rising inflation, and the list continues.

What other stressors do we struggle against?

There are also more intimate stressors to consider, such as a loss of a loved one, loss of a means of income, infertility, divorce, to spilling water on your computer keyboard (yes, this just happened to me.) 

Any of the above items and others can raise our cortisol, the stress hormone, to various degrees. How we cope with the daily intimate anxieties and the global ones reveals our differences in resilience.

Can we “bloom” like the flower in the picture above, even when we are anxious?

What can we learn about dealing with our anxieties in Genesis 25:21?  

Continue reading “What Causes You Anxiety?”

How Quickly Do You Comply?

rules

I am a terrible tennis player.

But I love watching professional tennis grand slams.

This weekend, the Wimbledon 2022 tournament ended.

Wimbledon, as the birthplace of tennis, holds a special mystique to tennis players and fans alike.

Players are subject to specific rules of dress and conduct at Wimbledon, not present at other grand slams.

Failing to comply with the specific rules of dress and conduct results in significant fines for the players.

Some players exhibit “don’t care” attitudes about the special rules.

Most players comply with respect.

What does this have to do with Genesis 24:66-77?

Continue reading “How Quickly Do You Comply?”

Are You Struggling Today?

look to the hills

I live near the blue ridge mountains.

Frequently, I enjoy a glimpse of the mountain range as I commute to work.

This glimpse always brings a smile to my face.

Yet there are days when rain, fog, or darkness hide their presence from view.

Our emotional states mirror this experience with highs and lows. 

Everyone has good and tough days.

Some days are harder than others.

  • Where do you turn for help when you are struggling?

Join me in looking at Psalm 121 for some encouragement.

Continue reading “Are You Struggling Today?”