"Know thine enemy." You may be familiar with the above phrase, which originated from the ancient Chinese general, Sun Tzu. But you may not be familiar with the full quote: If you know yourself and know your enemies, you will win a hundred battles without danger. If you know yourself but do not know your enemies, you will win one and lose one. If you know not yourself nor your enemies, you will lose every battle." Now let's put that light little subject on the back burner for a second. You know your fun party friend? the one who lives on the edge and gets away with everything? who's down … [Read more...]
Christian Parenting: Be Humble or Be Humbled
Is there any job more thankless, and at the same time more humbling and enlightening, than parenting? “Why do you think I’m doing all of this?? I’m doing it for you.”“Why do I even try?”“Instead of complaining, can you maybe just say, ‘Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad’? That would be so nice.” Deep breaths. These were the thoughts that ran through my head at least a dozen times the week prior. We’d just returned from our annual trip to Yosemite with some dear family friends. This road trip had become a beloved summer tradition and we’d always looked forward to it. We’d take in a small … [Read more...]
What A Dog Can Teach Us About Unconditional Love
Once upon a time I shared a gritty little tell-all tale about my earlier struggles in marriage and the painful but beautiful lesson learned about the difference between being “in love” and loving, actually loving, for better or for worse. Well, this past year a dog - yes, a dog - has taught me even more, about unconditional love. For those of you familiar with Mochi the toy Shih Tzu, you will be surprised, perhaps horrified, to learn that we’ve recently let her go to another family. Why? Because my kids were “in love” with Mochi. And I loved Mochi. But none of us loved her … [Read more...]
Easter Visions: Between the Darkest Hour and the Brightest
Last night He came and He spoke to me - in a dream. He took me back in time. Over 2000 years back. To this very hour of this very night. It was not just the darkest hour of the night. It was the darkest hour of Any night there ever was or ever would be. Only hours earlier, Jesus had taken His last breath in a fragile human, mortal body, and His broken form had been laid in a tomb to decay. Flashing before my eyes were manifestations of the darkest parts of our humanity - fleeting visions of the ravages of war, rape, hate, strife, theft, rage, jealousy, terrorism, shootings, and scenes … [Read more...]
God’s Inexplicable Love: the Greatest Mystery and Truth
Mind blown. We witnessed a spectacular IMAX planetarium show at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco yesterday. Shown on a dizzyingly massive dome ceiling, “Dark Universe" explores today’s greatest cosmic mysteries in a vast and wondrous starscape. After our breathtaking virtual voyage through space, to help us try to grasp the breadth and size of the universe, we’re told that if the dome above us represented Earth, our entire planet would be the universe, at least in its current state of constant expansion. Realizing how very, very miniscule and seemingly insignificant we, … [Read more...]
Living Fully
A few days ago I saw a Facebook friend, who said to me, “Anita, you really know how to live. It’s good…‘cause most moms are so tied up with kids and work or housework and everything else, they have no lives of their own.” I immediately felt guilty, or ashamed. Shoot. Am I one of those people? Do I make my life look easy, happy and fun? Or worse -- make others feel their lives are so not? If so, I must confess – It’s A Lie. I’m just guilty of selectively posting the “best of” takes and capturing quickly fleeting treasured moments on camera. And I post often to simplify. How so? I’m not … [Read more...]
God’s Christmas Gift Has Nothing To Do With Naughty or Nice
I have a confession. This happened a few years back, during this same wondrous holiday season, when in place of peace and joy, I was feeling overrun, defeated, exasperated. Parenting wasn't quite "working out" the way I'd hoped. I was worried (apparently more than he was) that my eldest was running outta time to shape up and make the cut (i.e., Santa's "nice" list). Despite repeated warnings that "Santa is watching," the thought of falling on old Saint Nick's "naughty" list didn't seem to phase my willful child. I, on the other hand, was troubled. What's the point of telling kids that … [Read more...]
When The Going Gets Tough
Something is definitely up. It feels as if every day lately, I learn of yet another comrade in Christ combating something major – all-consuming struggles with health, marriage, faith, finances, parenting, personal tragedy, addiction, family discord, church leadership, direction, unity, spiritual attacks, spiritual apathy, or any combination of the above. No one is unsusceptible. “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:12) The bible doesn't sugarcoat. It says opposition, temptation and suffering can’t be avoided. Indeed, it's hard to … [Read more...]