Mr. Rogers

I have to admit, even after my kids were in school full days, I would still sit down with a sandwich and turn on Mr. Rogers at 12:30. If everyone were like Fred Rogers, what a wonderful world this would be. OK, I know some of you weren't as enamored with him. He was one of those - either you loved him or couldn't stand him. I personally wanted to live in his neighborhood. It was so radically different than the world we live in. Think about it, he only owned six sweaters and a pair of tennies. Modest furnishings, basic craft supplies, none of those sparkly markers and glow-in-the-dark paints. His friends were just simple, down-to-earth people. Yet, he lived such a content and peaceful life there in the neighborhood. Hmm...

Why Squirrels Can’t Do Math

I'm not a big fan of magic shows. No, it's not that the magicians are usually kind of creepy looking or that their assistants don't wear enough clothes. It's that I can't stand not knowing how they do that stuff. I get frustrated because I can't make sense of what they do, or how they do it. I have so many questions that can't be answered. It's all a mystery and I don't like mystery. I like to be able to understand. Hmm...

Going Where Your Feet Don’t Touch The Bottom

Snorkeling in Hawaii. Sounds wonderful doesn’t it? I was on the vacation of a lifetime. Everyone else was going snorkeling, so I said: “What the heck.” Without life jackets, the group headed into the water from the beach. I was ok until my flippers didn’t touch bottom. Then, I got a little shaky. Thoughts of self-preservation overtook any thoughts of a Kodak moment in the Pacific. So I stayed back and snorkeled in the shallow water. Come on, it was still beautiful. I saw lots of brown driftwood, and an occasional yellow fish. Alright, it didn’t quite compare with the stories I heard from the group - giant sea turtles, coral the color of the rainbow, fish too beautiful to describe in words. I guess I missed out on something amazing because out of fear, I wouldn’t go where my feet didn’t touch the bottom. Hmm...

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Did you ever stop and think about the similarities between the Wizard of Oz story and Christian discipleship? Look, - an unfulfilled farm girl is looking for happiness in the glitz and glamour of the carnival. She’s on a path to disaster when her world is turned upside down (literally). She lands safely, but in a strange new world. In this new life she finds a community of people willing to help her on her walk. She finds the way is made perfectly clear to her. She finds an advocate in the good witch. Someone who helps her fight evil. Because evil does pursue her but can’t overpower her. Hmm...

Staying Too Close to Where You Got In

It was bedtime for little Danny. Danny’s mom hoisted him into bed, said a prayer, kissed him on his sweaty six-year-old forehead and tiptoed out of the room. Danny’s mom then hightailed it down the hallway into her own room and jumped in bed where a glass of red wine and the latest Jodi Picoult book lay waiting. (Moms, you know it doesn’t get any better than that!) Just as Danny’s mom started to relax, she heard a thud and then the sound that brings terror to the hearts of resting moms everywhere...