When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. Luke 19:5-6 The Bible tells us that Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. Wealthy – almost certainly because he had […]
Read More...It must have been God at work today. Of all things, the sermon was on Lamentations and the speaker spoke a lot about how much art, writings, etc. has come to us as the result of trauma in people’s lives. I can totally understand why that is. If you’ve been reading here you will […]
Read More...Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem – IF – that has been important to me since the age of nineteen when I was admitted to Riverview Hospital. Such encouragement! Almost as good as the Bible. Especially since I hadn’t become a Christian yet. The lines that stood out for me this morning were these: If […]
Read More...You never completely lose the memories of trauma, they say. And I know that to be true. Triggers come at the most unexpected times, even during a sermon at church. There’s not anything particularly different about the sermon. But at times it does lead one’s mind to reliving experiences in your life – […]
Read More...My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them […]
Read More...I know I wasn’t going to write any more of my story. I claimed that I had recovered. However, traumatic memories don’t go away so easily. Writing whenever I felt bad was helpful. But yesterday bad memories – especially one – came back, leaving me weeping in church. And I had nowhere to go […]
Read More...(Written in January 2017) Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21-22 Jesus knew all about forgiving. He came to do a […]
Read More...LIVING ROOM MEMORIES 277 (April 20, 2010) Psalms 42 and 43 which we studied at our last Living Room Bible study sure hit home for those of us there. We could relate to the psalmists’ laments. We could relate for the thirsting after God expressed in the opening verses: “As the deer pants for streams […]
Read More...And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 A few minutes ago, I watched my cat as she lay in a shaft of warm sunshine washing herself. It occurred to me how we humans […]
Read More...LIVING ROOM MEMORIES 265 (February 6, 2010) While away recently I had a lot of time to think, to read, and to journal. I came to the conclusion that I need to focus my energy on the things that are going to do the most good. And I need to delegate the things that sap […]
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