A failure on my part reminded me to monitor my initial reactions to an unpleasant experience. Thankfully, my insensitivity didn't bother my husband Tom as much as I feared it had, but I'm always striving to improve. My husband wasn't feeling well, so he opted out of a family gathering. I had a...

Being focused on a problem can cause us to be insensitive. In 2019, I fell into this trap. My husband and I had two of our grandchildren (ages 6 and 5) over for a few days. On their final day, the kids and I ran a few errands together. (Tom was away at a conference with our son, that day.) Our...

One of the ways God blesses me and brings a smile to my heart and face is through His rainbows--the sign of His promise. Sometimes I'm blessed to see beautiful rainbows in the sky, such as the time I was walking in our neighborhood, crying out to the Lord for a sign of hope regarding my disabled...

God calls us to raise our children knowing Him and His standards of right and wrong. He also calls us to model good behavior (including confessing our mistakes, asking for forgiveness when we offend people, etc.) and He expects us to discipline our children, teaching them that there are...

I have found that it is impossible for me to cheerfully and willingly surrender my desires to the Lord and sacrificially serve others unless two things happen: (a) I have a fresh revelation of how much God loves me and has sacrificed for me, and (b) I ask Him for His power to surrender my desires....

Sometimes kindness means not giving a person what they're asking for, and that may appear as unkind to them. When a parent says no to a child's request, the parent may be acting in the child's best interest, but the child may not be able to see that at the time. When God says no to us, it may...

"Do everything without complaining or arguing..." (Philippians 2:14, NIV.) He "...takes a genuine interest in your welfare." (Philippians 2:20, NIV) (The emphasis is mine.) What a glorious world this would be if everyone lived like this! I am well aware of how my self-indulgent, self-focused...

One evening, I was working at the desk while my husband and another man were talking nearby. At one point, I thought my husband said something that wasn't quite accurate, and I corrected him. (Actually, I just heard him wrong.) He said, "You're eavesdropping" and I said, "I'll shut up," and I did,...

One attribute of love is being considerate of others, even in the midst of our own insecurities.   There are times when it's appropriate to share our insecurities with someone, but there are also times when it is best to keep our thoughts to ourselves. Here is an example of when it's best to...

Failing to forgive someone is very unloving. Forgiving someone who has hurt or offended us is sometimes difficult, and it doesn't always feel good. When Jesus said, "...Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34, NIV), as he hung on the cross, I'm sure it didn't...