Unveiled Graces

Our family has recently discovered the game, RISK.  For those of you not familiar with the game, the goal is to take over the world, territory by territory.  To date, my husband is undefeated.  This last time we played, I decided to play offense.  After a victorious campaign across Brazil, I felt rather satisfied....until it was my husband's move.  The "enemy" mobilized his troops and prepared war.  I was left completely defenseless because, in my pride, I risked everything to take over the opposing territories.  Soon, my entire army was destroyed.  I came in last place, behind my six year old daughter and my nine year old son. As I sat and watched the rest of the game, I though about my fatal mistake.  In my pride, I forgot that there was an enemy lurking in the shadows.  This seems to be the case in my Christian walk as well.  It is when I THINK things are going well, that I am the most likely to fall.  Paul gives wise ad...

I went to turn on my vacuum today, and all of a sudden, EVERYTHING smelled musty.  "That's weird,"  I thought to myself. Then, I realized.  I had placed the filter back in the vacuum while it was still a little damp.  It probably had mildewed.  Great !  There is such a biblical truth to my lousy housekeeping.  If there is mold in your filter, everything is going to stink .  I think Jesus puts it a little more eloquently in Luke 6:45.  He says,  "   A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." The words we speak come from an overflow of the heart.  I have sometimes said things and it wasn't until after I said the words, I realized how terrible they sounded.  However, the issue was not with the words themselves, but rather ...

Last night, I decided that I was going to paint my nails.   As a violinist, I will never have the nails of a hand model.   But, I figured I could at least have them shiny and polished for a change.   After taking my daughter to ballet and fixing dinner for the kids, I sat down to pamper myself.   During my manicure, my son calls out, “Mom, I don’t feel so good.”   Fast forward ten minutes...I now have my son in the recliner, sipping on Gatorade.   My hair is in a bun and a mop is in in my hand.   There is no time for the paint to dry on my nails. As I think about the whirlwind of activity that took place last night, looking at the chipped paint on my fingers, there is a certain amount of peace that accompanies me. I would much rather have chipped nails and a comforted son.   This morning I am reminded of Isaiah 52:7 which says: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who...

I remember my wedding day like it was yesterday.  Even though it has been almost eleven years now, I will never forget the look on my husband’s face the first time he saw me walk down the aisle.  I decided that I would not wear a blusher with my veil.  I did this, not because I wanted my outward beauty to radiate on my wedding day, but rather, because I wanted my soon to be husband to see my genuine reaction when I saw him for the first time. Authenticity is a core trait God is refining in me as a believer.  Second Corinthians 3:17-18 states, “ 17  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18  And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”  As believers, we are given the precious gift of access to God and freedom in Christ.  If we are leased from the judgement...