Lists, Goals, Projects: Oh, how I love these things. Notebooks, Planners, Calendars: I’m all in. You, too? In ninth grade, I mapped out my entire high school curriculum just for fun. In college, I carefully plotted my classes so I could take extra hours each semester in subjects I loved. I knew what my senior […]
Not long after we had adopted our younger son, I heard about a couple who had adopted 12 children. Each one of these precious kids was considered “unadoptable” because of various physical and mental challenges. All of them required continuous care and since the family was quite wealthy, they had the means to provide for […]
As they say in Texas, sometimes you need to take the bull by the horns. My dad lived there and he was known to do just that. When his only daughter wrote and illustrated a children’s book, my father sent a copy to the features columnist at the local paper, letting him know this was […]
Angels are confusing. We love them, create beautiful images of them, and are comforted by knowing they are all around us. Who wouldn’t want a Guardian Angel to depend on? But who are Angels and what do they do besides fly around and look, well, angelic?There is a body of information in scripture. Here […]
This is a painting from a children’s book I wrote and illustrated called Joseph’s Heart: A Story of Adoption. It is titled Away in the Manger and is the most whimsical image from the book. Baby Jesus takes center stage as He lies in swaddling clothing, surrounded by a bird’s eye view of various creatures. They look […]
The first time Mary is mentioned in the Bible, an Angel appears. The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.” (Luke 1:26-27) Luke states that Joseph was […]
Su-per-he-ro (soo’per hlr’o) n., pl. roes. A heroic character with a selfless, pro-social mission; with superpowers- extraordinary abilities, advanced technology, or highly developed physical, mental, or mystical skills Was Joseph a Biblical Super Hero? A look at Joseph’s Story through 21st century eyes: Let’s do a quick recap, shall we? A nice Jewish […]
After Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary wait one month in Bethlehem before taking Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem. In the Old Testament, the law requires after thirty days the new parents must travel to the Temple to consecrate their son to the Lord and make a sacrificial offering of two turtledoves. “Every […]
So it came to be Mary and Joseph were married. As they were settling in to their new home, an order was given. All people had to return to the town of their birth to be registered and counted. This meant Mary and Joseph must journey a long distance. Joseph worried it was dangerous to […]
Have you ever heard anyone call their spouse “my better half”? There is a religious reason for that term. In Judaism, the belief is a soul is created by God and then cut in half and sent to earth. Two halves that must find each other and come together to create a whole. Our mission […]
If Joseph was a guy who played by the rules, my next theory is he also knew a lot about his family tree. I believe Joseph studied the great patriarchs, prophets and kings of Israel as any dedicated Torah scholar should. Three of his ancestors are especially important in understanding Joseph. Abraham, his forefather, faithfully […]
What does the word just mean? It can be used as an adverb, as in “I’ll be there in just a minute” (meaning I’ll be there just before your clothes go out of style). Or Just Do It. (Great idea. But what is the “It” I should be doing?) The meaning of just is precisely or totally or completely. […]