Archive — June, 2008
18 Jun
Hide and Seek
Remember the childhood antics of hide and seek? Both the thrill of the search and the anticipation of being found produced hours of delight. In my relationship with God, it seems as if a similar dynamic exists. God pursues me, and I am commanded to seek Him.
Deep Roots
One of our favorite places to go with the boys and picnic or kick around the soccer ball is Bowman Field, the large green space where Clemson’s “town and gown” (university and city) intersect. On the edge of Bowman Field stands the grandest tree I have ever seen… .I can only imagine how this mammoth tree stretches beneath the soil. How wide and deep must the root system extend?
17 Jun
It Shall Be a Duel…to the Death!
Basement cleaning day….the mere mention can send shivers down a spine. The year was 1994. The setting: a dimly lit basement. The scenario; a young boy, with his siblings, slaving away under the oppressing tyranny of their parents….I was that boy. This is my tale…
16 Jun
Into The Light…”
Being trapped in a dark room is a terrifying experience. The sensation of total blackness overwhelms you. You can’t tell which way is up and which is down, where you are going and where you have been, or even what lies just ahead of you. The less we see, the less we have control over. A dark room is filled with uncertainties, and it is not a place we want to find ourselves in.
13 Jun
What does it mean to seek the Lord? - Part 1
I’ve decided to break up the story of my journey in search of God into a few parts. Being a writer, it seems like the right thing to do since my life has worked itself into some semblance of a novel—broken up chapter-by-chapter… I grew up in a solid Christian home, the daughter of a Southern Baptist preacher, but I often think my religious perception was a little one-sided as I began my spiritual journey.
11 Jun
Rain from Heaven
But the land you are entering to possess is a land of mountains and valleys, watered by rain from the sky. It is a land the Lord your God cares for.” Deut 11:11-12
Bet the Israelites were none too happy to get this news! After 40 years in the wilderness, they were probably looking forward to the ease and stability of a tame, irrigated vegetable garden like they had had in Egypt. Sure, there had been that whole slavery thing, but they had always had plenty of good food to eat, and whenever the ground got a little dry, they could open up the old irrigation system and set things right.
Refuse? No this is Garbage!
I had an experience yesterday. It was one of the experiences that really gets you thinking straight again. This experience happens occasionally, but this time it happened at the wrong time. The garbage men forgot to pick up my trash! It would’ve been ok if they forgot last week, but not yesterday. See, yesterday I had A LOT of garbage; it was overflowing! I noticed my neighbors’ trash had been picked up, but not mine! I had to get rid of my trash; because if I added any more, my driveway was sure to be the neighborhood’s animals feeding ground! So I loaded the entire trashcan into the back of the car and headed out in search of the garbage men.
8 Jun
Cultivating Community
Recently I marked the end of the seventh year of my FCA career. I have been involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes since elementary school and have always considered FCA a treasured part of my heart and life….This type of Christian community has been pivotal in my love for the Church as a body of believers and my desire to be an imitator of Christ, filled with the Fruits of the Spirit that make Christians so attractive.
5 Jun
The Time I Almost Got Away With It…
Early on in school I developed an important philosophy. It goes as follows: School is not about how hard you work, it’s about how hard your teacher THINKS you worked. Yeah, just call me Aristotle. I spent years (and several detentions) perfecting this talent of mine. By the time seventh grade rolled around I was masterful. The amount of hours worked in comparison to the grades was something to be admired. I soon learned however, that even a great theory such as mine is not fail-proof.
Sitting at my desk daydreaming, I didn’t even notice my teacher start lecturing. One word violently dragged me back into reality, “Ok, let’s start PRESENTATIONS…”
4 Jun
Get Ready, Get Set, Go!
I just returned from a week at a Christian writers conference. Writers, publishers, and editors from all across the country gathered in a mountain retreat to learn, to teach, and to enjoy each others’ company. Some brought completed manuscripts and book proposals to “pitch.” Some came looking for their next projects. And some came simply to discover if they were even writers at all.
