When I was a young mother, I held my newborn son in my arms and contemplated the desperate prayer of Hannah: "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give …
The Distractors
Forging forward in following God’s will is difficult at best. At times, we do not clearly see the road before us. Like driving in a thunderous downpour, sights and sounds spook our senses and cause us to cling to the steering wheel with a white-knuckle grip. Doubts pummel our thoughts until we can no longer …
The Great Seduction
I vividly remember the time when a man with a kind face reached across the table, placed his hand upon mine, looked into my eyes, and whispered, “I never thought you would be so beautiful.” I melted like soft butter on warm toast. He had me. At the time, I was a lonely single mother …
The Summer I Let my Gardens Die
The summer I let my gardens die is still fresh in my mind because it just happened. That’s right. This past summer I did not tend to the garden plots that usually grow prolifically with strawberries, tomatoes, squash, and herbs. In fact just the contrary occurred. I watched vermin, wily and pesky squirrels, strip not …
Realization #3 for 2010: Equity Rescuing is Counter Productive
I realized in 2010 that I have a problem with equity rescuing. Those of us raised on parental mantras such as, “Waste not… want not,” or “If you don’t eat your dinner, I’ll send it to the poor children in Asia (Or Africa depending upon your parents' geographical shaming preferences),” will relate to this post. …
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The Stranger’s Gift of Clarity
The Stranger Dogging my steps, stalked a man in the shadows. With hat pulled down and trench coat covering his face, he followed at a distance Fear gripped my throat as I clutched my cloak, like a desperate mother pulling her children to safety. Try as I might to ignore his pursuit, the sound of rainwater squishing between …
Coming to grips with our humanness.
Recently, I awoke with a statement running through my dream, "Coming to grips with our humanness." In the dream, I saw one of my students holding the small green and navy blue airplane he gave to me a couple of weeks ago. The airplane propeller has a rubber band attached and my students love to wind it and then …
We choose our own subjugation.
Why are you not giving yourself permission to live? What is it in you that refuses to pursue your potential? What do you dream of doing that if only________were not in your way, you could? Recently, I pondered these questions while thinking about someone I care about who is fearful of pursuing her dreams. Her situation reminded me of …
The Great Apple Dilemma
"Would you rather eat an apple or become a tree?" The Great Apple Dilemma has existed since the Garden of Eden—the lure and lust to place "knowing" above "communing" with one's Maker. Now I'm not a theologian nor is this a commentary on the book of Genesis, but the apple represents something to me—my temptation …
JoDee Luna Art 