When a dangerous undertow at our favorite childhood beach pulled my little brother, Ed, under the water and further from the shore, he almost drowned. Inside the vicious swirl of water, an older cousin fought relentlessly yet futilely to free Ed from the monster’s grasp. Nearby sunbathers and swimmers mocked the cries of my loved ones because they weren’t far from the shore. How could they be drowning? A young man, unseen by people on the beach, saw my brother and cousin from the second-floor window of his apartment. From a high vantage point, he realized they were in peril.…
Tag: salvation
Change Someone’s Day by Noticing
My friend’s day changed when someone noticed. Angela, a young wife and mother of three, gave me permission to share her recent online post: To the mama in the Target parking lot that saw me struggling to unload three kids and yelled across the parking lot, “You’re doing great, Mama,” thank you for seeing me. To the mama in Chick-Fil-A who helped me lug my crew out to my van, thank you for seeing me. To the mama in Kroger who offered to give me a hand grocery shopping with my kiddos, thank you for seeing me. To each of…
Is Your Heart Dressed for Easter?
Easter Memories During my eighth year, Easter came early with its chilly temps, but I insisted on wearing my new sleeveless dress to Sunday School. My mom purchased a soft white sweater with tiny pearl buttons to make that feasible. Accessories completed the ensemble–white gloves, a flowery headband, white ruffled socks, white patent leather shoes, and a purse shaped like a closed parasol. Dressed in my Easter finery, I posed for pictures and felt ready for the holiday. Dressing Up Fashions have changed since that childhood Easter experience, but there are still occasions when we expend extra time and effort…
An Inviting Invitation
Anxious to join the festivities and meet Chelsea’s “Prince Charming,” my husband and I planned our 580 mile trip to witness the marriage of our oldest niece. The bride-to-be expressed appreciation that we’d accepted invitations to the rehearsal dinner and wedding. The morning of her big day, my niece texted to say, “Aunt Jeannie, would you like to be here at two o’clock when I put on my wedding dress? You’ve known me all of my life. Only a few people have known me that long because we moved out of state when I was young. Please come if you…