“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.” Proverbs 31:26

Yikes. I’m pretty sure these words will not be inscribed on my tombstone…

(read more on this excerpt from Laura’s new devotional book DIAMOND DEVOS 31)

Who doesn’t crave a little soul rest? I’m not talking about a power nap or even a week under a palm tree (although both are quite lovely, especially the palm tree option. I know, I have a thing for palm trees. I’ll get help.) …

Storms happen. Sometimes we are mere bystanders and choose to ignore out of fear or indifference, and sometimes we choose to get up close and personal…

We have some major “aroma issues” in our neck of the woods right now. Actually, it’s affecting a massive area from the States up into much of British Columbia—the dreaded smoke. You’d think we would get used to the annual wildfires that ignite as if by magic and sweep through tinder-dry beauty, devouring everything in its path. But it still shocks us, rocks us, keeps us humble. Especially when we can taste BBQ with every breath of stagnant air…

My eldest boy had his four wisdom teeth removed this week— talk about extreme extraction. Pain, swelling, no sports or driving— an eighteen-year-old male having to make do with sappy smoothies and soup… it’s been a sorrowful sight indeed. Poor guy. At this point I am literally itching to insert the stellar photo I snapped when he got home after surgery and was snuggled in icepacks and a neck pillow looking rather inebriated. Argh, I won’t. Self-control and the fact that I want him to love me forever. But the whole ordeal got me to thinking about getting rid of “stuff” from my own life to make it smoother and cleaner and more effective. What do I need to “throw off”? How ‘bout you?

So today it’s Good Friday, and our thoughts are drawn to the cross, but this week I’ve been thinking about the TABLE that came before the cross…

This familiar story of the yin-yang sisters hit me again this week. You know, there’s Martha the hostess-with-the-mostest, who is highly aggravated by her sis Mary, who seems to have all the time in the world to sit and listen to Jesus while the kettle boils and the potatoes need mashing. Am I the only one whose Martha-ness is threatening to take over in the pre-Christmas frenzy while I try to keep my Mary-ness afloat?

Ever unintentionally fallen into that blissful state of slumber whilst in public, and then woken with a jolt, wondering what had happened while you were sleeping? You subtly wipe the drool from the side of your mouth, pray you weren’t audibly snoring, and attempt to seamlessly catch up and reintegrate. The worst— when it happens in church. The absolute worst— when you accidentally fall through a window and die. True story.

If you are familiar with the Bible, chances are when you hear the name Lydia, you think “the purple lady”. Or maybe that’s just me. It probably is… blame it on the flannelgraph. It’s a story I’ve often glossed over, but on closer inspection, there’s a lot for us to glean from the account of Lydia’s conversion. Enter the purple lady…

Oh, September, you are such a vivid reminder of the mountaintops and trenches of life! Don’t you just love the month of September? It’s one of my favourites— still warm during the day minus the crowds of summer vacationers, cool enough in the evenings for snuggles, the hope of organized routine after a blissfully unorganized summer, and the opportunity to look at the next school year of life and make plans and set goals. It’s like New Year without the party. Maybe we should consider inventing a September New Year party…