“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”
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” (2 Tim 1:7)
Lilly, my Yorkie, pranced across the living room floor, turning her head this way and that to show off the pretty bow the groomer had put next to her ear. She had a happy doggy smile on her face as she turned in circles in front of my parents. They oohed and aahed over her, and she rolled over so they could rub her belly. Then, she jumped on the couch and looked at us as if to say, “I know I look good. Thanks for noticing.” Continue reading “A Dog’s Confidence”
“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”
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Cor 10:31
As I look back over 2018, I’m repeatedly drawn to my health goals. My goal was simply to be healthier. It was a pretty broad goal, to be sure, and I realize now that I wasn’t specific enough in how I wanted to reach that goal. Many of the health problems I experienced in 2018 could have been prevented. Some were caused by pushing myself too hard. I worked even when I was sick, rarely taking a day off, which leads to more illness and potential burnout. I also struggled with seasonal depression more than usual, so this year, I’m taking steps to combat that issue. You can read all about it here in my recent blog post. Continue reading “Focusing on Health in 2019”
“The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps 27:1)
Now that we’ve settled into January, you may notice you’ve been feeling a little down. The January blues is a real mood disorder that can be brought about by many things such as taking the holiday decorations down, going back to work after extended time off, or spending too much money during the holidays. It’s situational, and that’s what makes it different from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is due to lack of sunlight. The January blues usually last for a few weeks, while SAD can last for months, and for some people, the two mood disorders can coincide.
Knowing that I suffer from SAD, I’m preparing for the long, dark days ahead. The week after Christmas was a dreary one here in Oklahoma, and I noticed symptoms of SAD, including irritability and forgetfulness, setting in quickly. Continue reading “Surviving the Dreary Days of Winter”