Being thankful
It's the season of Thanksgiving. As a special project this month, I've chosen to report on my Facebook page everyday one thing I am thankful for.  I have no shortage of amazing things in my life to be grateful for: love, my husband, our kids, my parents, God, flowers, sunsets, the telephone, my dogs (well, at least on a good day!) music, laughter, children, crayons, colors, the fact that I can get out of bed each morning, sushi, Listerine, diamonds, art, fish...you get the idea. I could go on like this all year!So what are you thankful for??

The New Normal
It seems like everyone I meet lately is in a blended family! I am currently doing something called Clinical Pastoral Education, which means I am "working" as a Chaplain Intern at a hospital. (I put working in quotes because while I put in clinical hours, visit patients, and write papers about my experience I'm actually paying for the privilege of doing this.) Anyway, as I make my way around the hospital, I talk with all kinds of people: patients, staff, family members, doctors, nurses and volunteers. When I mention the blended family angle of my ministry, I inevitably hear about their experience in blended families. It always strikes me as kind of funny when someone says "We

Seeing through God's glasses
Lots of people see life pessimistically. They are "the glass is half-empty" sorts. They will always look on the dark side of things, and tend to see only what is wrong or stressful in their lives. If you ask them how they are doing, they will give you a long list of complaints about their health, their stepchildren, the weather, their neighbors and how unfairly life is treating them.Others are optimistic. They see the metaphorical glass as being "half-full." These are the sunshiney, happy-go-lucky sorts who always see the good in everything. You ask them how they are, and they will answer "Wonderful!" even if it's still raining, and the hurricane blew away their roof. Then t