In less than a week, school children will be eating green cupcakes, McDonald’s will sell millions of Shamrock shakes, and green beer will flood the gullets of many party-goers. Saint Patrick’s Day is once again upon us. Last year, I celebrated with more vigor than usual as the holiday marked the twentieth anniversary of my most significant breakup. It was most definitely not luck, but God’s hand on my life (not to mention hours of prayers from concerned people) that this relationship died. As I hung up the phone that night, I heard a still small voice say, “This relationship is over. It … [Read more...]

When we have heavy rains or howling winds, I always “look forward” to playing count the shingles. It is an easy game. One simply goes into the front yard, counts the number of shingles on the ground, and proceeds to pick them up. At that time, I almost always think, “We really need to have someone come look at our roof.” But, life goes on, a hundred other thoughts distract me, and the roof stays forgotten until the next storm. My concern, as is with any home owner, is that one of these days, a storm will whip through and do expensive, and possibly irreversible, damage to the roof. Losing a … [Read more...]

If you could have lunch with one person who is no longer with us, who would it be? A famous theologian from centuries ago? Perhaps a world-renowned scientist or psychologist? Maybe a celebrity or humanitarian you admire who has passed from this earthly life? Though I think it would be amazing to meet Andy Griffith (who feels like an uncle I never met), Abraham Lincoln, King David, or Esther, a not-so-famous (but important) person I would love to meet is... my husband’s mother. Sabine Viets passed away almost exactly three years before I met her son in a psychology class at Liberty … [Read more...]

If you are interested in getting divorced someday, pay attention to this one simple step: Disagree frequently about money. Or, spend when your spouse wants to save. Or, invest when your spouse believes needs are not being met. Or, take a low-paying, easy job when your spouse desires you to take the higher-paying, harder-working one. Or, give money to your brother-in-law behind your spouse’s back when he or she adamantly opposes it. Money fights and money problems are cited as divorce rationale in many divorce cases. As much as we want to believe love will keep us alive, let a few financial … [Read more...]

It was a stressful two hours. My friend, Kelly, and I waited impatiently as Kate and Doug grew from figure skating partner acquaintances, to enemies, to friends, to almost lovers, and back to enemies. Surely, they were going to realize all the hostility between them was simply misplaced attraction. They were in love! I knew it. Kelly knew it. Please, figure it out, Kate and Doug. You two are opposites but you are meant to be. They skated their hearts out in the final scene of the movie, The Cutting Edge. Then, as their amazing routine ended, Kate finally said, “Because I love you.” It was … [Read more...]