"Stop and smell the roses" is a great English expression meaning that we should relax and take time out of our busy schedules to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of life (https://en.wiktionary.org). I'm afraid I'm not very good at this. My life is far too busy....
Sometimes we wake up, expecting a day just like any other. And, with no warning life gets complicated. Then what happens? I was flying home to Orlando from Chicago. Seated beside me in the plane was a little girl. I turned toward her. "Are you traveling by yourself?"...
I've always enjoyed driving. When my children were small and we vacationed as a family, I felt privileged to be anchored behind the steering wheel where I could be in control and keep my family safe to the best of my motoring ability. As a child I always felt secure...
One of my husband's new favorite things to do is to hike. I say "new" because there aren't any mountains in the coastal town of Belgium where he grew up. Besides, he is legally blind in one eye and as a result, has very poor depth perception. This makes walking over...
"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 'For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?' 'Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to...
"So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him." (Matt. 7:11 NLT) I was in a local store recently when I saw something that opened a window into my soul and let in a...
Our recent trip to Spain was highlighted by a fair amount of hiking, one of my personal favorite activities. A pattern began to emerge, however, as our trip progressed. It began on day two, when we decided to hike down to a lovely little cove on the Mediterranean...
We spread our towels and stuck our beach chairs into the sand this past Wednesday. My brother, his wife, hubby, and I chatted while soaking the sun rays at Cocoa beach. Though it was a windy day, the warmth caressed our skin. Then with no warning, we felt a few...
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9) I've never run a marathon but my self-proclaimed ‘couch potato' friend is about to run her first race at the age of sixty. "It's for a good...
As I listened to the torrential rain falling on the roof of our trailer, I couldn't help but think: "No, I wouldn't have pre-ordered such weather for this camping trip..." And it rained through the night and as we started out on our first hike of the morning. In fact,...