A Return to Spring

“See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.” (Song 2:11-12)

After a hard winter, signs of spring are finally beginning to appear here in Oklahoma. Birds chirp, squirrels run through the yard, and bees buzz and flit from flower to flower. As the temperatures rise and the world around me reawakens, I feel joy bloom in my heart and new energy come back into my body. This is the beauty of spring: it brings new beginnings, not only in nature, but in our own lives. Continue reading “A Return to Spring”

Growing During the Easter Season

“Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.” (Ps 119:37)

The Easter season begins with Lent, a 40-day period of prayer, reflection, and penance that leads to the celebration of Easter Sunday. Lent represents the 40 days that Jesus spent alone in the wilderness before starting his ministry. Continue reading “Growing During the Easter Season”

Reminders of Christmas

“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Ps 100:2)

Inevitably, I leave behind a Christmas decoration or two when I put everything away in January. When I come across these items, they serve as happy reminders of the joyous season just passed. It was with that thought in mind that I decided to do three things to keep the spirit of Christmas alive this year even after the holiday season was over. First, I left the Christmas decorations up a little longer. Second, I continued to listen to Christmas music whenever the mood would strike me. And third, I decided to add Christmas books to my reading list throughout the year. Continue reading “Reminders of Christmas”

Celebrating Valentine’s Day

My Valentine

“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation…” (Phil 4:12b)

In high school, I was part of a club that ran a Valentine’s Day fundraiser. Students ordered carnations in red, pink, or white, with each color representing love, like, and friendship, respectively. The members of the club, including me, delivered the carnations to the excited recipients on Valentine’s Day. Everyone held their breath that day to see who would get which color, and I know very little school work got done. Continue reading “Celebrating Valentine’s Day”

Top 10 Blog Posts of 2018

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced…” (1 Chron 16:11-12)

As the year draws to a close, I’m reminded that this is a good opportunity to reflect back over the year. In honor of that, I’ve selected my top ten blog posts from this year. These are the posts that resonated with my readers the most. I’ll be back soon with new content for the new year! Continue reading “Top 10 Blog Posts of 2018”