You probably saw the title for this blog and thought it was mother’s day.

It’s not.

But it is my mother’s birthday!

There she is with my nieces!  I figured I wouldn’t be much of a daughter if I didn’t break away from my routine and dedicate an entire post to my mother.

Many of you who read this blog regularly know her better as Milo. She’s my top commentator, excluding Gina. She’s my earliest commentator of the day, excluding Gina. But she’s my favorite commentator of all, including Gina. Continue Reading…

I haven’t given you a Monika update in a while.

Monika is my personal trainer. And no, I’m not that rich as to afford a personal trainer. My sister owns Stay Fit Physical Therapy, and gives me a great great deal for personal training.

Regardless, a few days ago, I noticed I had plateau’d in my fitness efforts. I felt like bailing.

I made the mistake of telling Monika.

“Your pants don’t feel any looser?” she asked.

Um, no. No, they don’t. Continue Reading…

Hey how’s everyone doing?

If you leave me a comment answering that question (how are you doing), I’ll do 2 things:

• I’ll put $5 away in a LWP fund for charity for your comment!
• Your name will be entered in a special saturday drawing for a really cool gift that I’ll announce tomorrow!

If you’re a blog subscriber, you have a chance to win a $25 gift card every Friday when I randomly select a person to win. This week’s winner is: lbarnes!  Email me at lina@livingwithpower.org to claim your gift.

Here’s an eharmony update for all those of you who care: (I think that means pretty much every one of you…..)

I’ve made it to stage 1 with about 3 guys, and to stage 3 with two, but what’s shocked me the most is how hot these guys are.

I guess I’m shallower than you thought I’d be. But what did you expect…I’m on eharmony, I’m single and I’m almost 40.

Enough said. Wish me luck at least.

In the 2 years that I’ve been blogging daily I’ve only had to pull one blog because it was misunderstood.

This morning I wrote  my second blog that may have been misunderstood by some.

I’ve debated pulling it, but most of you have already received it by email, so it’s a moot point.

Instead here are some follow up thoughts that I’d like you to read.

1. I was wrong to generalize marriage with other relationships. Marriage is a unique covenant relationship made between a man and a woman before God. You cannot approach marriage like you would a relationship with your boss, or your friend. I humbly apologize for trying to generalize the conclusions of my thesis about change.

2. The main point of my blog was to lovingly endure in a relationship much like Christ has endured with us. I believe every one of us has been given much grace by God and we too must show the same grace towards others in every relationship. I thought I was clearer than I came across. I’m sorry for that.

3. Marriage is about YOU changing. Again, this morning’s post was not about marriage per se. If you walked away from reading it with the sense that you’re free to run, then I failed miserably in writing it. I tend to agree with John Piper’s views on marriage. If you’re married or thinking about it, read these two posts by John Piper on divorce and remarrriage: Here’s the first  and here’s the second.

I hope this offers some clarification for you if you were left with confusing conclusions after reading the morning’s post. If you’re thinking I’m over analyzing it all, you should be used to it by now!

Tomorrow’s post will be easy. It’s Scripture Memory Day!

I have an opinion on almost everything.

Wait. I’m lying.

I have an opinion on every single thing.

And while there may be nothing wrong with having an opinion on everything, the problem develops when I insist on expressing my opinion on every single imaginable thing.

What if, for a change, I learned to develop an opinion but refrained from expressing it, until someone asked me?

What if I didn’t always insist on telling everyone else exactly what I thought on the matter?

What if, just once, I did something even nuttier – like refrained from having an opinion at all?

I could be wrong, but I have a feeling if I took that risk, I’d have an easier time hearing your opinion for a change.

Hey everyone. I thought I’d give you a personal update today.

Of course anytime a single person says they’re giving a “personal update” everyone assumes it has to do with a guy. But alas….I didn’t get engaged or elope.

But I did join eharmony.

Yes, yes…I’m almost embarrassed to admit it, but it’s the truth.  In a moment of utter post valentine’s weakness, on Feb 15, I joined eharmony for exactly 1 month. If you’re good at math that means we’re already 1 week into it. So, God has exactly 3 weeks to find my Mr.Right.

Go God go. The clock is ticking. Continue Reading…

Despair often comes from looking at the facts and making wrong conclusions.

In Genesis 42:36 Jacob says this:

“You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.”

Here were the facts from Jacob’s perspective:  The famine was life threatening. All the money in the world couldn’t feed Jacob and his family. Joseph had been missing for years. And Simeon was now gone too.

But here was the truth from God’s angle: Joseph was safe and sound in Egypt storing up food for the family. Simeon was being treated like royalty in a minimum security prison under the protection of his brother Joseph.  Food was well on the way since God was a few steps ahead of Jacob.

Are you tempted to make wrong conclusions about the facts in your life?

Don’t.

Jacob despaired but he was wrong. And so are you if you’ve giving in to despair.

Same facts, but entirely different conclusions.

Maybe it’s time to leave the conclusions to God.

What a big week we’ve had!

Valentine’s day is behind us now. The next big event on the calendar is my 40th birthday in April.

Do you even dare think what I’ll be blogging about leading up to that?!

Meanwhile, it’s Friday. Let’s do our usual give away. If you’re signed up on my subscriber list, I draw a random name to give away a $25 gift card. This week’s winner is: The Pry Family! Email me at lina@livingwithpower.org to claim the gift!

If you want to subscribe to the blog, simply click here!

If I were you, I’d tell my friends about this blog and have them subscribe. Why, you ask?  Continue Reading…

It’s Friday – Again.

Only this Friday is special because it’s the Friday immediately before Valentine’s day – which is a huge huge deal for me.

If you believe what I just said you haven’t been reading my blog for long, so welcome and thanks for stopping by!

Every Friday I choose a random person from my email subscriber list to win a $25 gift card. Click here to subscribe. This week’s winner is: alarson! Email me at lina@livingwithpower.org to claim your gift!
Continue Reading…