He Came Down

The distressed peeping from the pigpen was not a piglet.  As I leaned in closer to look, I saw a speck of movement in the mud.  It was a fuzzy yellow pheasant chick. My son jumped in the mud, reached down, and took hold of the struggling baby. He handed it to me. It wasContinue reading “He Came Down”

Room to Grow

My son got a pair of hand-me-down shoes that is four sizes too large. I kept them, knowing that they will be useful someday. However, he wants to wear them now. Today.  It’s funny how children love having room to grow, while we adults get very comfortable filling every nook and cranny of every spaceContinue reading “Room to Grow”

The Balm of Humility

It happened while we were playing Wolves and Sheep at Bible Club. The “wolves” were tagging the “sheep,” freezing them in place. My oldest son was the “Good Shepherd” who was able to unfreeze the sheep by tagging them, and the wolves did not have the power to freeze him. Bea, a spindly seven yearContinue reading “The Balm of Humility”

Needy

Runty pigs are needy. Besides food and water, they need warmth, protection, and extra medical care.  Two of our sows farrowed last week, and out of nineteen piglets, one was a runt. In a Charlotte’s Web scenario, I brought the little pig into the garage. It was unresponsive, with mud plugging its nose and mouth.Continue reading “Needy”

Sitting at the Feet of Jesus

This week’s article details abuse and sensitive subject matter. It is my aim to uphold the healing and comfort of Christ instead of controversy or hurt. I recommend the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors if you or a loved one would like to seek counseling on any of these topics. After her mother died, aContinue reading “Sitting at the Feet of Jesus”

Dirt Under the Table

Whenever I sweep under my dining room table, I wonder, “How could this much dirt accumulate so quickly?” I actually took the time to ponder the answer today, and the answer is that our family sits there a lot. We eat there. We worship there. We learn there. We craft there. We cry and laughContinue reading “Dirt Under the Table”

And the Word was Rare

Summer is coming, and I recently got the calendar out to note the camps, swimming lessons, mission teams, and church events. The busy-ness of Spring gave me pause before I loaded the day squares with pink, purple, and green ink. Do I really need to be doing all these things? In my mind’s eye, IContinue reading “And the Word was Rare”

Reading the World

When I was twelve, I would pray the same prayer every night: Lord, send me adventure. Following Him has been the greatest adventure of all, and seeing how He weaves plot, character, and conflict has proved to me that He is indeed the “Author and Perfecter” of my faith. Perhaps that’s why I love booksContinue reading “Reading the World”