The Power of Saying Thank You
One way to make your day better today: say thank you. One way to make another person’s day better today: say thank you. It’s one of those tiny habits that…
At Thanksgiving, Don’t Simply Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
I was reminded this year that Abraham Lincoln was the first American President to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday. He did so in 1863, in the midst of a brutal…
Looking Back Before Looking Ahead
I know the idea of welcoming a new year is to look ahead. Make resolutions. Set goals. Establish new routines. But before I do any of that, I need to…
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Returning to My Series on Gratitude
In 2019 I wrote a series of posts on gratitude. This year I'm returning again to the truths I wrote in that series two years ago, such as: Thanksgiving is…
A Few of My Favorite Things: Week 10 | Three New Books
Ending the day without anxiety. Receiving spiritual truth and practical wisdom from another mother of a child with a disability. And entering into a story about the extravagant tenderness of…
Gratitude Is a Part of Healing
Is gratitude a part of healing? This past week, I read a healing story in Luke 17. Ten men with leprosy cry out to Jesus that he “have mercy” on…
Great or Grateful?
Penny expresses gratitude with abandon. Every Sunday morning throughout the pandemic, we have each written down our thanksgivings on an index card (see picture above). We do this, per our…
Thankfulness or Toxic Positivity?
Many of us are away from family and friends at a time of year when we usually gather together. I don’t want to be too relentlessly upbeat about this sad…
A Series on Gratitude
In 2019 I wrote a series of posts on gratitude. Thanksgiving feels different this year, and I'm finding I need reminders of the truths I wrote in the gratitude series…
Postponed Speaking Events, Grief, and Gratitude
Today I expected to be speaking at the Festival of Faith and Writing in Grand Rapids, MI. I was planning a new talk about the relationship between love and justice,…
