He is Greater.....John 3:30 says He must become greater, I must become less"

Self-regulation is one of those terms I use a lot.  When my kids are throwing a fit and I want them to calm down and use their words and communicate what they need......I reach for my list of tools that I always try to help them self-regulate.  Or mom-regulate...or whatever.  I have been a part of some good mental health conversations in the past few weeks about self-regulating and mindfulness and coping during periods of stress and adversity.  I figured covid-19 is providing us all with so much time on social media and internet, I might as well share what I'm thinking.  take it or leave it, use it or toss it.....My goal is to try to calm down, use my words and communicate what I need.  :) This situation we are all living in is causing me to be dis-regulated.  My sense of order and control and contentment is challenged all day long.  I don't feel settled or well-ordered.  I make a plan for the day and constant interruption and distractio...

by definition, "resilient" means able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions, able to recoil or spring back into shape after bending, stretching or being compressed.  In my work with families of young children, we often talk about how resilient children are.  They can withstand so much hardship and, if given the right kinds of attention and love and affection, they can recover and grow well.  Tonight I wish to claim this word and ask that the Lord apply it especially to the senior high school class of 2020.  Isaac is a senior.  He doesn't really even know what he doesn't get to experience, but many of us do.  Finishing your high school year as a group, as a unified body that shares their own culture of conversation, hopes, dreams, memories.....it just matters in a unique way.  If they arrange class reunions (and I so hope they do) they will always remember that they did not get to finish together.  They did not get to leave...

Father God and all of Earth below.....it's Good Friday.  For me, as a Christian God-follower, it is important.  It is a day I remember that Jesus hung on a cross today.....for the whole day....and died there.  He didn't have to.  He could have decided to scrap it and make a different plan.  He is God after all....but out of obedience to God's plan to restore us to a right relationship with Him.....He did the cross. He chose death on this day thousands of years ago so that I get to choose life today.  Every day.  I am so so sorry He had to die for my sins.  I am sorry that I am unable to stop sinning, and to live a righteous life.  I am sorry that without His act of love I would surely have only death and hell forever.  It's Good Friday because He did choose the cross.  Because I know it and believe it and claim it as my truth.  I have life and Heaven forever.  That's the deal.  That's the whole Easter deal.  H...