By Beth Demme I tend to be a task-oriented person. I like to have a plan for each day or at least a list of things I hope to accomplish. For some people, the perfect Saturday involves waking up late and then “going with the flow.” To me, that sounds like the worst Saturday ever. Days like that feel wasted to …
How to Find Beauty in the Unexpected
Living Expectantly Part 4: How To Find Beauty In the Unexpected By Beth Demme This month on the blog we’ve looked at what happens when life isn’t quite what we expected. How can we live loved when we don’t live up to our own expectations or life is harder than it should be? Does God think I’m a failure? Is …
Is It Okay To Complain?
Living Expectantly, Part 3: Is It Okay To Complain? By Beth Demme How many choices do you think you’ve made so far today? Maybe it’s early enough that it’s been simple: Coffee? Yes! Decaf? No! Maybe your day has been longer or harder and you’ve already conquered a full buffet of choices. Unless you’re a hermit, you’ve probably made decisions …
Does God Think I’m a Failure?
Living Expectantly, Part 2: Does God Think I’m a Failure? By Beth Demme Last week we started looking at what it means to live expectantly, instead of living with expectations. Do you think God has expectations for you? Have you ever wondered if God thinks you’re a failure? As I shared before, I once ordered a bar stool, but I didn’t …
What Happens When Life Isn’t What I Expected?
By Beth Demme Have you ever received something you really wanted, only to discover it wasn’t at all what you expected? I do a lot of online shopping (probably too much). Every once in awhile, I get something that isn’t what I expected. One time I ordered a bar stool, but I didn’t check the dimensions well enough. When it …
Not Just Another Nobody
Have you ever met someone who was completely defined by their appearance? About five or six years ago I met a former Miss Universe. She was incredibly beautiful, but also articulate, kind, charming, and easy to be around. There’s a “but” in that sentence because she wasn’t what I expected. I expected just another pretty face, but she turned out …
How To Find Peace
I often “find” myself in the stories of the Bible (it’s one of the reasons I keep reading), but recently I found myself in a new way in one of the old stories (which is another reason I keep reading – the words don’t change, but my understanding does). In Luke 7, Jesus is having dinner at the home of …
Measuring Your Child’s Value
{This is a guest post I wrote for a blog-series called: “Helping Children Build A Strong Sense of Self-Worth.” Take a minute to read the whole series here or here. Thanks to Lisa and Tanya for encouraging moms to think and write about this topic and more.} Early in our children’s elementary school experience I learned to dread “The Weekly Folder.” Very early. …
I Wish I Could Earn God’s Love
I like to be seen as capable and competent. I like it when people ask me to be in charge or take on a leadership role. I like it when people tell me I’m doing a good job. As I’m learning, learning, learning to live loved I see how my desire to be seen as a capable and competent person has …
Happy Blog-day!
They say 1 dog year = 7 human years. If that’s true, I think 1 blog year = about 17 thousand million human years. One year ago this week I launched this blog so I’m basically an expert on this. To mark the one year anniversary, I’m going back to the beginning. This is one of the first things I …