Minivan Moments

Have you ever seen a shrub that was shaped so many times that it no longer looked attractive? Or a hack-job on a tree or bush that was clearly outside the realm of what would be the natural growth pattern of that particular plant? We used to live in a little house that was over 20 years old when we moved in, and the original owners had planted holly bushes in the front of the house between the walkway to the front steps and the house. At one point, it probably looked great nestled into that spot, just under the living room windows. Sadly, by the time we moved into that house, the shrubs had been cut down to fit into that space so many times that the bushes had bare spots where greenery didn't grow anymore and the stalks of the shrubs were thick, rough... and highly visible . From the street, it looked like dead patches. But we, as the tenants, knew better. We lamented those bare spots every time the holly bushes got a trim - which we needed to keep up with per the landlord and th...

I struggle with fear. And I mean struggle . Fear knows how to get into my head, despite my efforts to ignore it. I try to tune it out, and it works... for a time. I attempt to rationalize my way out of it, and that, too, has some success. And as a Christian, I endeavor to turn my fear over to the Lord and let Him take care of things His way. But fear returns. And we grapple. Sometimes, fear gets the upper hand. Other times, I conquer it. But in every instance, fear reminds me that it is always capable of - at the very least - interfering with my day and wrecking my peace. So I struggle with fear. Because giving into it is not an option. It might be like a muscle: the more I exercise my strength over fear, the stronger I get, and the easier it will be to vanquish. Maybe it's like bitterness: the more I practice turning away from the whispers of fear, the quieter the voice becomes. Or perhaps fear is like a broken relationship: it has come into my life and left its mark,...