Preparing for a Thief to Rob Your House
When my oldest son was only a year old, I drove him to Oma’s house for a change of scenery. Even though our knocks on the back door showed nobody was home, I put him down and began wiggling the key in the always-difficult lock and then pushed my knee into the stubborn door, hearing it squeak slowly open from its too tight frame.One step forward and I froze as my gaze reached across the room to

STOP Giving Back!
Moving from green beans to corn, from yams to Stove Top stuffing, I take a box and add it to my pie crust mix, my frozen turkey. Just a few extra items added to my regular grocery run. Not enough to change the world by myself. But enough to give one needy family a well-rounded Thanksgiving meal.We have entered the season of helping others. And yet a recent survey states “of the nation's 400

Endless Possibilities for Sweeping Reform
Each time America holds an election, the political candidates spout lofty goals and promises for change. We listen. Some of us hold out hope in our hearts that this person may be the one to finally make a difference and enact such changes. But once that person enters his term of office, we sit back in disappointment and watch as few (if any) of those goals are achieved.And then we remember the

The Art of the Counter Offer
“Can I have two gummy bears, Mommy?”I opened the jar and brought out a green bear-shaped blob. “How about one.”Surprisingly, he countered my offer: “How about three?”Just earlier in the week, someone made my father-in-law and husband an offer on some land they’re trying to sell. But unlike my almost three-year-old, they understand the offer / counteroffer dance.In the Christian life, we don’t use

And Nothing But the Truth
From the back of the van comes a pitiful voice of a tired little boy: “Mommy, can I have some milk?”I sigh because this is the thousandth time he’s asked me the same question. “Yes, sweetie. You can have some when we get home. I promise.”“You promise?” he whines in that high-pitched voice.“Yes, Wyatt. I promise.”We repeat this exchange several times a week because I want him to know that I am to