Doing the Next Thing

My husband and I had one of our first dates under a sky like this on Lookout Mountain.

just stopped by for a visit

big girl fixed her own snack Read this great article by Nancy Wilson . Here's a tease: Finding fault is the easiest thing in the world, as the old Puritan says. Encouragement requires discipline, but has far better results.

I have four men in my life. With three sons and a dh, that adds up to a lot of ironing. Two of my sons are man-sized with the shirts to prove it. Admittedly, my hubby does a lot of his own ironing -- he enjoys it and actually does a better job. But I still end up with a revolving pile of wrinkles that must be tamed. In truth, however, I don't mind the task. Perhaps it's because I'm usually alone in the laundry room, with the hum of the dryer masking the chatter of a busy family elsewhere in the house. A small oasis alone with my thoughts for a few precious minutes. Many years ago, I heard my hero-in-the-faith Elisabeth Elliot say on her radio program that we should spend the moments we're doing menial household tasks (like ironing, washing dishes, or scrubbing a tub) praying . I began doing just that when my man-sized boys were more pint-sized, and it's been one of the most soulful times of prayer this busy mama gets to have. I especially try to pray for the person

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