by Elaine Olsen | May 13, 2014 | calling, discipleship, family fun, grace, Holy Spirit, Lessons from the Lunchroom, living God's truth, obedience, out of the mouths of babes, parenting
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we...
by Elaine Olsen | Mar 31, 2014 | desert dwelling, Easter, family fun, pilgrimage
The Gospels make it clear—you can’t make the ‘Lenten Journey’ without the desert and wilderness. That forty-day trek is rough terrain. All that stuff about wild beasts, temptations, and hunger, we’d rather not talk about it. And the cruelty of it; “Lord, can we...
by Elaine Olsen | Mar 28, 2014 | dad, family fun
Garner, NC. That may ring a bell for some of you; it’s the hometown of American Idol winner, Scotty McCreery. I like it for two other reasons – my mom and dad. They moved there several years ago to be nearer to their grandkids. Not long ago, my dad sat...
by Elaine Olsen | Dec 14, 2013 | Advent, christmas, family fun, parenting, pilgrimage
She held on tightly, arms wrapped fully around my waist and her head burrowed deeply in my coat. “Mom, I don’t want you to go.” Her plea was persuasive but not enough to keep me from loading up the van and making the two hour trek northward to my parents’ home. “I...
by Elaine Olsen | Nov 19, 2013 | family fun, joy, knowing God, living God's truth, out of the mouths of babes, thanksgiving
“Mom, I need to tell you something about that song. It just touches my heart.” Her assessment was correct as evidenced by her hand over her heart, tears rolling gently down her cheeks. “Just imagine, mom, people hearing those words for the first time and asking ‘Who …...
by Elaine Olsen | Nov 10, 2013 | faith, family fun, obedience, parenting, pilgrimage
They threw their lanyards on my desk. Safe-keeping I suppose. Mom tucking away treasures for later retrieval, a time when things will be remembered. Events remembered. This remembrance. Pilgrims on pilgrimage. In thinking about this milestone in their journeys of...
