To My Family, I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry. The last four months have made me realize that you have suffered because I was busy. I was so busy and yet I have nothing to show for all of my busy-ness. I've figured out that I lost 6,570 hours of quality time with you because I was busy doing everything over the last two years. What a waste of time. I'm sorry I rushed you through conversations, through meals, through school, through visits, through time together because there wa

In 2005, a friend made me this little pin cushion. At the time, I was struggling with feeling hurt and manipulated by passive-agressive family members. I'd never encountered such a trial before and it consumed my every thought. My friend, Lydia, was leading a Bible study on James. Do you think that was coincidental? I don't. Time and time again Lydia would say to me, "Consider it joy, Kristy." I'd sigh and say, "I'm trying." But honestly, I couldn't see any joy. Nor could I s

Bare feet and a pool. May 2012 It's hard to swim when you're crying. Was it the heaviness of my heart that made it hard? Or the saline on my cheeks as they sank into the chlorine around me? Have you ever felt like Alice when she floats in her own tears? I have. After inching to the pool's edge, then slowly sliding into the water, I pushed off the wall with my left foot and glided through the water. I kicked with both feet, left then right, left, right, and waited for the pain

It's been a month since my fall on the ice. I've sat in this chair for the majority of the last four weeks. Minutes before my fall, I was sitting in this very chair talking to Scott. "I really just want to stay home and sit in my chair all day," I told him. Ha! Boy, did I ever get my wish! In the four weeks that have passed, I've spent a lot of time reflecting and ruminating. There have been hours of introspection. Hours of reading God's word, hours of sitting and listenin

Yesterday, all my trouble seemed so far away.... My "yesterday" was six weeks ago. I was sitting on the beach watching my kids dig in the sand. I started a pile of shells. Then Adam and I braved the cold, cold waters of the gulf. I waded in chest-deep, jumping when the waves came, seaspray splashing my face. Each wave was a gift. Just a few days before, I'd been diagnosed with sluggish thyroid and the diagnosis, though it made sense of all my seemingly unrelated symptoms, fe

Last Sunday, our Youth Director Jim spoke on service. He told a story about asking the kids to do a foot washing service at one of their recent events. He said none of the kids wanted to have their feet washed but many of them volunteered to wash someone else's feet. Then he said: It's easier for many of us to serve than it is to be served. I smiled and wrote that down. I know that describes me. It probably describes you. The very next morning, I went running down the snowy

Have you ever known someone who asks for your advice but then does all the talking? Doesn't let you get a word in edgewise? Asks you to pray but then tells you the answer? When it comes to the friendship between me and God, I'm that person. Those of you who know me know that I'm pretty much a control freak. I don't seek to control behaviors or even physical appearance but I do seek a controlled environment. It's not that I want you to think I'm perfect because I will straigh