Life by Grace Alone

I had almost forgotten the first time it happened . I encountered a woman from my church. We had a casual conversation and she stated that she knew she had always been a pessimist. For some reason it wasn't until much later that I realized the problem with what she had said. She had called herself a pessimist and seemed very comfortable with that label. How could a Christian say that? A pessimist always sees the cup as being half empty. Half empty or half full (the usual description of an optimist) , how does either cup have room for a sovereign God and all the blessings our Father promises his people? The good we have in this life must not be our total focus and so should I want to see my cup as half full? To see it as half empty means I do not appreciate what blessings I have and so should I be content to see the cup as half empty? Neither perspective reflects a Biblical understanding. A number of years passed. I and another woman were discussing our differences. In the midd...

How do you celebrate an anniversary such as this? Ten years ago I had my second case of breast cancer. My doctor when he called told me I had a zero chance of it spreading. That was my good news. He then said a mastectomy was necessary since this was the second time in the same breast. In light of the good news this didn't seem so bad after all. A zero chance of spreading sounded louder in my head than the mastectomy and that floored my friends. Although I accepted well and with only a moderate amount of fear the procedure I needed to go through, my acceptance did not make it easier. I was also having breast reconstruction at the same time. After a few days in the hospital I was home. I assumed someday I would have enough energy for what my life required of me but for a while I was going to enjoy the attentiveness of my family and the generosity of the cooks of the church. I sat in a new recliner one day during my recuperation as I watched my husband and son do yard work. I opened ...