Real Life Reflections

Cinderella - my all-time favorite fairy tale. Except that it's not a fairy tale at all. Neither is it something that happened once upon a time in a land far, far away. It happens every day right here in the U.S., in China, in Thailand, in Burkina Faso, in Korea (right, Kimmer?), in Brazil, and in Canada. As a matter of fact, it happens all over the world. Every single day. It's the greatest story ever told. Rogers & Hammerstein and Walt Disney don't have all the details straight, but the prince and his love for the unlovely is spot-on. It's like this: You're Cinderella. I'm Cinderella. Originally, we were simply called "Ella," and we were children of an extremely kind and benevolent father, but then we decided that we wanted some independence. We wanted to be on our own; but instead of the freedom we craved, we ended up enslaved by our cruel stepmother. We toiled endlessly, but never made her happy. We ended up covered in ashes, mud, soot, dung, a

It was just the type of night you would expect for something like this to happen. Sara left the house at 6:45, waving off her mother's never-ending admonishment to be careful. What does she think I'm going to do - stand in front of the store and ask someone to take all the money and shoot me please? "This is the last time you're working the late shift." She said as Sarah shut the door behind her. "Whatever" Sarah whispered under her breath. Why do mothers always think the worst is going to happen? It should be illegal for mothers to watch the news or read newspapers. It makes them way too neurotic. Business was slow, but that was expected. Rain poured down in sheets rather than drops. Thunder boomed, causing the glass in the storefront to vibrate. Lightning lit up the sky as brightly as if it were noon on a clear day, and the wind rolled debris across the parking lot as the storm raged on hour after hour. Growing up in the Midwest, Sarah was used to spri

How the heck are we supposed to obey that one - especially living in America where coveting is virtually the national past time? As a product of the parochial school system, I studied the ten commandments every year in religion class. Number nine (for Catholics, number ten for just about everyone else) always caused me consternation. How can I possibly control what I want and what I don't want? Teacher after teacher after teacher explained it to us. Without fail, the explanation was that "to covet" meant to want something excessively; to want something more than just a casual "boy, Melissa's got a sweet car. I'd love to have me one of them." They said that coveting implies obsessing over someone else's something, someone else's anything. While this is true, I think they missed the most important point. What does it matter to God if I really really want a car like Melissa's? If that's all the further it goes? If I don't cross a line?

I recall an interview I heard once - a couple that had recently celebrated their 75th anniversary. Sitting together on the sofa, holding hands like newlyweds, the interviewer asked them their secret of staying together, the husband looked at his bride, and answered, "I just never left her." My husband and I celebrated our 28th anniversary this past Saturday - a milestone of which not everyone can boast. I had a light-bulb moment this weekend - one of those moments when you finally see the reality of a thing that's been staring you right in the face for years. Romans 8:28 says, "all things work together for good for those who love Christ Jesus and are called according to His purpose." Of course, it's true. Even people who don't believe in God will say that everything works together for the best, and I've always believed it, but I've believed it in a non-chalant sort of way. I mean, of course, things always work out - your child will not go to ki

From the very first time I knew My love for you Would be a lasting love It is not a common affection My devotion to you Will span my lifetime It will not fail Your scent alone Lures me now As it lured me then I breathe deeply Of your sweet And tantalizing aroma Should I take in your fragrance Every moment of all my days yet to come I would not tire of it I run my fingers down the length Of your smooth dark loveliness There is no blemish No flaw in you I taste I cannot help myself I must My tongue lingers Could heaven be any sweeter? Oh yes From the very first time I knew Mon chocolat sucre Yes I knew My sweet chocolate My love for you will be a lasting love