My Lovely Dwelling Place

Boys aka Sons of Thunder             My husband likes to bemoan the fact that we have a team of boys.  Every once in a while he’ll cry out to some fellow parent, “Why couldn’t I have had four cute little girls?”  Invariably, these supportive friends will state emphatically, “Oh, boys are so much easier!”  This kind of response can only be delivered by someone who does not have a plethora of sons.             Webster defines easy as not hard or difficult, free from trouble, pain or worry.  It must be a different “easy” our friends refer to when they are talking about boys.             My boys are not “easy” according to Webster’s definition.  They’re challenging.  Somehow every one of my boys has turned out with strong opinions and stellar debate skills though untrained.  They c...

Batman, Trump, and Anger in the Heart of Fools             The nice thing about writing a blog is that you don’t really have to know anything to do it.  Having some talent at writing might be a plus, but real knowledge?  Not so much.  Having opinions, thoughts to share, a desire for expression, or a cause all help, but wisdom?  I don’t know.  But we’re in the age of social media!  Everyone and anyone can make their opinion known, have their claim to fame, and state their “fact” with confidence.  Someone will believe them.  What is truth?             About a month ago I saw the new Batman movie with my fan girl daughter and sons.  The theme revolved around Batman’s extreme anger toward Superman for trashing Gotham and harming the innocent.  Batman’s anger led him to do some uncharacteristic things while plotting the demis...

Behind and Before I volunteered recently to share yet another devotional, this time with our homeschool group in honor of our last meeting for this school year.  It would be a mixed crowd of young people and their parents.  Then I started thinking, what could I possibly say that anyone would be interested in hearing?  I wanted these kids and their parents, to know how much God loves them – how well He knows them – how much He is invested in them.  Then I started to remember what life was like for me some thirty-seven years ago.             I wasn’t the happiest sixteen year-old.  I didn’t grow up in a Christian home.  I certainly wasn’t homeschooled.  My dad was absent most of the time, and my mom was emotionally abusive.  I wasn’t a bad kid, but I wasn’t anything special either.  I was prone to depression.             ...

Mortality and Blessing I had the privilege to do a little devotional for my daughter-in-love’s baby shower.  It is an established fact that children are a blessing, at least in my mind.  The days of raising little ones are past for me, and I find being a grandparent a different experience.  So as I was thinking about what to say, I looked up verses about grandchildren. I found Proverbs 17:6 – Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers. Psalm 128:6 – May you see your children’s children!  Peace be upon Israel! Proverbs 13:22 – A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children… Deuteronomy 4:9 – Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life.  Make them known to your children, and your children’s children… Isaiah 59:21 – “ And as for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says...

Happy Sunday!             I like Sundays.  I like to go to church, worship in song, hear good teaching, and visit with God’s people.  It can be fun, meaningful and comforting.  I like sipping my coffee on Sunday morning while reading my Bible. Our service starts late, so sometimes the piano gets played.  Dressing up is favored, because it’s fun, not forced.  I even like to inspect my sons and make sure they’ve brushed their teeth!  This is trickier than you might think!!             Some of my boys have an aversion to combs, soap, toothbrushes, nice clothes and deodorant.  But one must have standards, even in a locker room!  Sunday’s a good day to enforce those standards.  It’s special.             On the most important Sunday in history a couple of angels told some d...

Cocksure Confidence Confidence is a wonderful thing.  One definition states confidence is a feeling of self-assurance arising from one's appreciation of one's own abilities or qualities.  Some people seem to be born with this appreciation; others need to acquire it.  There are websites devoted to building one’s confidence.  Apparently, this can be learned if it does not come naturally.             For example, one of my sons has tried twice to make chocolate chip cookies.  He had a recipe, the ingredients, and a working oven.  Despite this the cookies turned out to be only of use to Palestinians should they run out of stones to throw at Israelis.  My son is convinced that his rock cookies are the result of a faulty recipe and poisoned vanilla extract.  It would never occur to this particular son that he, perhaps, did something wrong.  He has confidence in his ability in the kit...