As you may be aware, recent wildfires in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have devastated the park lands and surrounding areas, including Sevier County, Tennessee, home to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and the Dollywood Theme Park. However, recovery efforts are underway, the area is still open for business with much to see and do, and Dolly Parton and friends...
Category: Faith & Family
Posts on faith, family, and general thoughts
Devotional Journeys
Autumn’s Admonition
The vibrant autumn leaves have given way to brown, withering, crackling dry fodder this week, and as I write they are rapidly falling to the earth on this dark and cloudy day. After having enjoyed so many days of sunshine and warmth this year…more than usual...the signs of the coming winter are beginning to settle in. Today finally brings me a...
Devotional Journeys
Truth in the Light of a Facebook Fast: What I’ve Learned So Far
Recently I decided to take a break from Facebook. Normally, I check it throughout the day. In fact, I'm sad to say it had become one of my main sources of information and gathering news, and also one of my main modes of communication with many friends and business associates, due to my involvement in Facebook groups and Facebook...
Devotional Journeys
MORE THAN CONQUERORS
(Preaching to myself again - a lesson for which I woefully admit guilt and a desire to change my ways.) I don’t think I’m alone in feeling so judged by almost everyone these days. It seems that every time I turn around, I witness divisiveness, anger, judgment, and frustrations being taken out on one another. Especially here on...
Devotional Journeys
I’m Not Waiting on the World to Change Anymore
Popular singer, John Mayer, came out with a beautiful song about a decade ago (wow! has it been that long?) called, "Waiting on the World to Change." Something about it resonated in the hearts of many, and that song still gets to you when you hear it, doesn't it? Thinking about that song, thought, and what it means...well, it almost...
Devotional Journeys
Motherhood & Monkey Wrenches
Change. It’s inevitable. We make our plans, the machinery is in gear, working great - and suddenly, somebody throws a wrench in it all and it grinds to a halt, forcing a change of direction. On this journey called “Motherhood”, if there’s anything I’ve learned it’s this: Anytime you think you’ve got it all figured out, and you feel like...
Devotional Journeys
Chucking My Chains! Done with Do/Don’t Lists!
Last night I read a blog post online that I found inspiring. Essentially, this mom had figured out that there are things in this life that she does well, and things that she doesn’t do so well, no matter how much she dreams or wishes or imagines she could. She had found freedom in that realization, and even had a...
Devotional Journeys
Reflections on a Maundy Thursday
REFLECTIONS ON MAUNDY THURSDAY Maundy Thursday. Maundy…from the Latin word meaning “command”. This do, in remembrance of me. He supped with the disciples, one last time. Love and serve one another. He washed their feet, when they were not even fit to wash His. And He commands the same of us. It’s not as easy as it sounds… today, in...
Faith & Family, Faith Topics
NOW is the Time for Christians to…
More Christians are beheaded. More churches burned. More followers of The Way persecuted. Yes, it is alarming. Yes, it is concerning, even worrisome. Yes, it is mostly a half a world away from me...yet, these are my brothers & sisters. God's heart. My heart. This is happening. Now. http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-beaten-tortured-and-killed-by-isis-for-refusing-to-convert-to-islam-125779/ and this: http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/19/africa/libya-isis-executions-ethiopian-christians/ And NOW it is time to do something....
Faith & Family
Heritage and Hope
As one of those souls lucky enough to have lived most of her life with all four grandparents living close by, I’ve felt especially grounded with a true sense of “knowing who I am and where I came from.” Having spent the past 45 years of my life with these folks of “the greatest generation,” has given me a worldview...