Team USA, it was a good run until it wasn't. I still love soccer/football because of the man to whom I am married and I will follow this series to the end because it is fun and exciting. However, the way I was yelling at the television last night showed me something really valuable about which God and I had a talk this morning. Idolatry of the heart. Yes, this is only a game and I need to remember that. But really, anything that would make me as angry as I was last night

The day before my birthday, my bestie took me to Monticello for the first time. It was super hot but we had a great time. Thomas Jefferson, it turns out, has three accomplishments recorded on his grave. Being president was not one of them. The Declaration of Independence is the first one, the religious freedom clause for Virginia is the second (copied by other states and ultimately the federal government itself), and founding the University of Virginia is the third. If y

As I watch 40,000 Scots leaving Boston after a couple of weeks of World Cup celebration there, I can feel the sadness of both the Bostonians that they are going and the Scots that they have to go onward. I am reminded of when I was a teen and would feel lonely after staying up all night at a slumber party because all of a sudden a really fun crowd was gone and I was left with my own thoughts. And I can entertain myself easily because I love to read but it is still hard to s

Before Noel and I started driving out west, I had only ever been as far as Colorado, where I lived for six months of Navy Intel School back in the day. I had flown to California numerous times, but never driven through the desert to get there. Now that I have been in the desert, I love the desert. It is beautiful in Arizona, between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon. It is lovely throughout the entire state of Utah. It is stunning in a desolate way along U.S. 50 from Ely, Neva

Has anyone who does not follow car racing heard of the Bonneville Salt Flats? We had not. Wish we had taken a picture but we did not see a good stopping place on I-80 for almost 100 miles as we gaped at these completely flat, ghostly white plains that began in Nevada and continued almost all the way to Salt Lake City, Utah. Apparently they are very related to the Great Salt Lake in Salt Lake City but they made me think of Lot and his family, especially his wife. Places on

Nothing could have prepared me for Utah, as I will admit we drove into it with minimal knowledge of its topography. It has five national parks, two mostly mountains from down below (Arches and Zion), two mostly canyons from above (Canyonlands and Bryce Canyon), and one oasis running between two desert mountain chains that was settled by ten Mormon families who had to constantly flee flooding at various times of the year (Capitol Reef). The whole state could be a national pa

There is nowhere quite so wonderful as my very own recliner an hour after our return from a 19 day trip. So much exhaustion has set in that I am going to just praise God for our safe travel and call it a night. Later I will post some more photos Noel took of God's wonderful creation out west. The trip was roughly in four parts: a southern route out west, the Mighty Five Utah National Parks, three days at Lake Tahoe, and the northern route back, including visits with Joey a

Two different cities and two different attitudes. This morning we woke up in Cheyenne, Wyoming. On our way out of the hotel, a young woman started to board our elevator as we were waiting to exit. She was in her pajamas and around 20. I said, "It is better to let people off first, hon." She said, "I have to get to work." I noticed she looked like she had been crying so I let her go first. Later I was convicted that she probably needed to know that I prayed for her jus

This hike, at Canyonlands National Park, was the shortest at only half a mile. Unknown to us, it involved about a 12 foot gradual drop which happened by scrambling down stepping stones that were slippery from sand. Noel made it, but I needed help from two young couples who made a human chain to walk me down, then we all took each other's pictures. Please pray for Scott and Janet from Vermont, who walked beside us most of the way back, too, just to make sure we would be all

Two more quick Utah National Park reviews: Bryce Canyon, pictured, has the world's largest collection of "hoodoos" (translation of Native American word Oo-doo, which they believed were wicked people turned into pillars). There are literally thousands of them, viewable from cliffs up above the canyon. Zion today (yes, we went from Moab to Zion, which is pretty Biblically correct!!!) is so full of people for the holiday weekend that we could not find a parking spot at the vis

Just a few pictures, photo credits to Noel except when we are together in the pics. However God did this, it is magnificent. The movie spoke of "millions and millions of years." We believe in six literal days. Creation "ex nihilo" or "out of nothing." God spoke a word and creation came to be. Now whether it all just looked like the end product right after He said the word or whether the layers built up before His eyes in minutes or hours (which would have been really co

In the shower this morning, praying before a more than 600 mile journey, I felt God nudging me to think about this question: "Is there a difference between scoffers who believe there is no god and people who believe in the wrong god?" I believe there is and that Noel and I are going to experience that today. We are in Amarillo, Texas having traveled since Friday. By the end of today, we have reservations in Moab, Utah to tour the national parks there this week. That is a

It will be no secret to those of you who heard Craig Hartman's Q and A that I struggle with how to help Jewish friends see that their Messiah has come . . . and He is Jesus! The blogger I subscribe to has become somewhat of a friend. She knows the Old Testament well but not all Jewish people even believe there is a God. So I wrote the below as a comment one day to a blog that asked the question: Why has every era throughout history tried to destroy the Jews? Why are we h

I regard a good sermon as one that keeps me thinking throughout the day or even for a day or two afterwards. Sometimes I discuss these thoughts with Pastor, Pastor Alex, or others (to encourage them that they are making us think). Last night when Pastor was in Acts 21, I started thinking about the Christians who had been saved as Jews and kept telling the Gentiles who got saved that they had to keep the Jewish law. It occurred to me that God says His Word/the Bible is foreve

This year I have started studying the reasons why we must believe in the Trinity as Christians. Just dipping my toe into the deepest theological waters ever is a good way to put that! While reading John 3 today, I was taken with the last three verses and how they describe the interrelationship of the Trinity. I happened to think . . . if the Highest Intelligence ever (God) had been asked to create the most excellent God ever . . . He would have created the Trinity. Only H

In Pastor's Sunday school class last week, we were listening to his lesson on creation but with frequent discussions happening (because our Sunday school class is a lot more interactive than the morning service). One of those involved favorite places in God's creation; another one was the best restaurant we ever ate at. I was taken back in memory to our trip to Yellowstone National Park two and a half years ago. We visited several national parks in our drive out west and b

Last night I attended a fabulous baby shower. All showers are special in their own way but this one was amazing. I was sitting up front next to the expectant mother, recording the gifts and their givers for thank you notes. Spanish, English, and Tagalog were being spoken around me. An overflow into a nearby classroom happened because the Commons, our usual shower site, was not big enough for all of us. The baby's grandfather and both grandmothers were sitting at the head

You have heard me say it before but I will say it again. I believe that the five books John wrote, especially his gospel, will forever be my favorite books of the Bible. Without taking away from the 100% divine, 100% inspired, even down to the breathing marks, aspect of Scripture, the Bible is also 100% human. It is a mystery, like the God-man Himself is a mystery. How can someone or something be completely divine and completely human at the same time? One day we will ask

Christian mentorship holds a unique place in a Christian's walk. It offers a path for believers to grow spiritually while strengthening the bonds within their community. This relationship goes beyond simple guidance; it fosters transformation, accountability, and encouragement. Understanding the importance of Christian mentorship can inspire many to seek mentors or become mentors themselves, enriching both their lives and the lives of others. Why Christian Mentorship Matters

Serving in your local church offers more than just a way to contribute; it shapes lives, builds connections, and strengthens the entire community. Many people attend church regularly but may not realize how much their involvement in service roles can influence both their personal growth and the well-being of others. This post explores the powerful effects of serving in your church and how it creates a ripple effect beyond the walls of the building. Building Stronger Relations