Moments with MarLo

The weather has been treacherously cold here in the middle of Illinois. Windchills sending the temperatures below freezing makes for very brisk walks wherever you might head. The only problem is the ice on the ground keeps most of us at a slow steady pace to avoid slipping and falling. But you won't hear me complain, at least not too loudly. I am a seasonal person and look forward to the gifts each season offers. When it's winter I love the perfectness of the clean white snow and the spectacular view of the sun as it dances off the ice. In the spring I look forward to the the cleansing of fresh rain and the hope in new growth as trees and flowers bloom. Summer brings long lazy evenings with fresh scents of mowed grass and dewy mornings, the sounds of children playing outside and the sights of neighbors enjoying time together. Then there is the beauty of the changing colors in the fall, the anticipation of holidays and family time, bonfires, and my personal favorite sport comes

This weekend Lydia and I spent a wonderful two days with Cheri Keaggy . Cheri was performing and keynote speaking at a women's event in Charleston, IL. She was a tremendous blessing to those of us who were able to attend. I love how Cheri communicates Christ and His word in simple, easy to remember stories. One story that stuck with me was how she loves to use acronyms. I hadn't thought about the benefits of acronyms in learning truths about God. For me they have become a necessary component of work in Corporate America and even my ministry work with Hearts at Home is not immune from acronyms. Heck, we even find them in text messages and everyday conversations anymore. So it was refreshing to here a new perspective on how they can be used in a divine fashion. As I was driving Lydia and I home I was lucky enough to have Lydia fall asleep 10 minutes into the drive which provided me nearly 2 hours to reflect uninterrupted on the lessons I had learned. During a long, quiet stretch