Monthly Archives: June 2026

At JOY!, our hospitality is one of our most positive features. We strive to go beyond warm, friendly, and welcoming. We call the greeters at the door “ambassadors”. That conveys more than “hello; glad you’re here”. There is intentionality, taking … Continue reading →

It’s a challenging world.  We feel a Chrisitan responsibility to respond . . . . but how?  I am just one.  You are just one.  Can there be anything at all that one can do?  I came upon this little … Continue reading →

Dear friends of ours moved from being our neighbors in Florida, to live in the mountains of Tennessee.  Lucky enough to go visit them, I found myself traipsing through the woods with them, discovering little creeks that flowed through there.  It was … Continue reading →

We are constantly reminded of the hatred that exists in our world. Every time we watch a news cast or read a newspaper or even sometimes see people interact with each other, hatred is on display. The saying, “I hate … Continue reading →

Have you ever experienced a poke from God, while engaging in less than wise behavior? Oh, I don’t mean bad or sinful behavior. I get those all the time. I mean things like questionable eating decisions or watching movies into … Continue reading →

The story of Adam and Eve is one of the most interesting in Scripture. It is one of the “stories of universal import” that occupy the first 11 chapters of Genesis. They are called that because they are about the … Continue reading →

I love doing puzzles.  They remind me of my mother.  A lot of things remind me of my mother.  It is good to be reminded of how fortunate I was that God assigned Kit to be my mother.   Strangely, … Continue reading →

One of my favorite musical groups is Steely Dan. The talent of Donald and Fagen and Walter Becker, the incredible studio players they collaborated with, are iconic to me. Quirky compositions, oftentimes obscure lyrics, along with a successful run of … Continue reading →

Picture a little girl with a small record player and a few records, all her own.  That was me.  Tucked away in my bedroom, I could play these whenever I wanted.  My favorite was the Parade of the Wooden Soldiers.  … Continue reading →