Wisdom of the Wounded

It looked like it was going to be an all-day dreary event, and I was already too sullen and crabby. Several years ago, Larry and I had been hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail and on day number four, we woke up greeted with a cold, rainy, dreary, day. It looked like it was going […]

“If you do not transform your pain, you will surely transmit it.” – Richard Rohr Max Lucado in his book titled, Grace, tells the following story about grace: Victoria Ruvolo can tell you about random pain. On a November evening in 2004, this forty-four-year-old New Yorker was driving to her home on Long Island.  She’d […]

The Story of Saint Valentine “The story of Valentine’s Day begins in the third century with an oppressive Roman emperor and a humble Christian Martyr.   The emperor was Claudius II.   The Christian was Valentinus. Claudius had ordered all Romans to worship twelve gods, and had made it a crime punishable by death to […]

Best Gifts for Christmas (or anytime) The African boy listened carefully as the teacher explained why it is that Christians give presents to each other on Christmas Day.  “The gift is an expression of our joy over the birth of Jesus and our friendship and love for each other,” she said. Then Christmas Day came, […]

There is always a lot to be thankful for, if you take the time to look.  For example, I’m sitting here thinking of how nice it is that wrinkles don’t hurt. –Author Unknown Ann Voskamp wonders, “How do we find joy in the midst of deadlines, debt, drama, and daily duties?”  Then a friend challenged […]

When there is a death in a family, Christmas can be so painful because everyone else seems so happy.  One mother says, “Watching their joy is bad enough, but the real pain is when our child’s name is not even mentioned; when no one recalls Christmases past, when my son was there with them, or […]

By  Liv Lane What Can I Say To A Grieving Friend This Christmas Season?  Here are some expressions that have comforted my family over the past year and some I’ve learned from friends who have experienced great loss, too… I don’t expect a call back.  For over a week after my dad died, a dear friend […]

From:  Liv Lane What Can I Say To A Grieving Friend This Christmas Season?  Here are some expressions that have comforted my family over the past year and some I’ve learned from friends who have experienced great loss, too… I am thinking of you. Sounds so simple, but it means so much to know someone out […]

By Rodger Price We’ve all heard the expression, “It’s better to give than to receive,” and we probably all agree with it.  I recently heard another expression about giving: “You can’t give more than you receive.” I’ve had some time to ponder this to decide if I really believe it or not, and I think I […]

Lynda Elliott’s father died at noon on Christmas day when she was 20 years old. I know that many people are experiencing loss, especially at this time of year.  For example, you may have been divorced since the last Christmas, or one of your sons or daughters may be at war, or a friendship may […]