uptomytoes

Tag: joy

  • Life on the Stump

    There once was a glorious old oak tree that, for years, we affectionately called “Grandpa’s Tree”. It stood on a bit of a hill overlooking the river. In its prime, this mighty oak provided peaceful shade and a quiet place to read a great mystery, ponder life and love, and offer heartfelt prayers to God. …

  • Be The Hero

    When I taught AP Literature, we studied literary heroes, read epic poems, and discussed heroic and not-so-heroic characters. I was talking with a friend, and the subject of heroes came up. I shared that I sure wish God would bring a hero who could step into my wonky world and fill in some of the…

  • Not Exactly What I Was Looking For

    One morning recently, my oldest daughter and I were having our weekend morning coffee together time. We talk, share, and lament the lack of sleep one or both of us had the previous night. This particular morning we decided to get on the ferry and head to a beach where you can find shark teeth.…

  • Modeling Lovable

  • Don’t Fence Me Out

    I have fond memories of my dad singing little ditties as he went about his day. Most were a little tongue and cheek, and all made me laugh. One he often sang, I’m sure to my mom’s delight, was “Don’t Fence Me In”… “Oh, give me land, lots of landUnder starry skies aboveDon’t fence me…

  • Prayer Is…

    Prayer has been both my first response and my last resort.  It has been the thread of sanity through difficult seasons.  The words that put me back to sleep during a restless night.  Prayer is the ending of long days The blessing offered with my children at night.  The quiet of the morning and the…

  • Hopefully

    Hopefully

    Advent – Hope “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 How simply beautiful is the phrase “God of hope.” The God who breathes life, speaks creation, and loves unceasingly,…

  • Living Strong

    I’ve been thinking about strength lately, mostly because I really need some. I’ve been praying about it a lot too. And I realized that I’ve been living under the assumption that at some point God will just zap me with strength so I can get busy doing all the things I think I need to…

  • Grab the Robe with Me

    There was this song at my old church …it was a solo I sang on worship team sometimes. It was called “I See the Lord,” and I loved it. It was based on Isaiah 6:1 …I saw the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the…

  • What are feelings anyway?

    On the way to church recently my 7 year old daughter asked, “Momma, what are feelings?” I started to say, “They’re how you feel.  I mean they are what you feel…I mean…ahhh!!!” I couldn’t figure out how to define it without using the word “feel.”  I thought if I used the word emotion it would…