“In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be taxed….all went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her first born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no place...

“Do as I say, not as I do!” are dangerous words to come out of a parent’s/grandparent’s mouth. While we hope that children learn more from our words than our actions, the opposite is true. It is our actions that will influence our children. They’ll notice choices we make, words we use, feelings we express and the things we do. They are more likely to imitate our actions than to follow our words.   It’s the same with God. God’s actions speak to us about who God is and about God’s will for our lives. Jesus said, “Love God with all...

O, be careful little eyes what you see….   for the Father up above is looking down in love, O, be careful little eyes what you see.   O, be careful little hands what you do… O, be careful little ears what you hear…   O, be careful little mouth what you say… O, be careful little feet where you go…   I remember singing that song in Sunday School as a child. God was the judge, ever watchful of little eyes, ears, mouths, feet and hands which might be getting into trouble. The statement that the “Father…is looking down in...

The four of us were sitting in the living room, our almost daily before bedtime ritual. It’s something all of us look forward to. At about 9:30 pm each evening is the Lukey-Robertson gratitude and family prayer time. We each say what we’re thankful for, but also feel free to name things that didn’t go so well, or frustrations we are feeling. Then we end with a prayer that we’ve said together since the kids were small, “Thank you, God, for being with us today. Please be with all the people we love, all the people who need you and all...

It’s Hallowe’en time again.  Every year I hear questions about its purpose and why we celebrate the occasion.  Now I could go into historical background for the holiday, but I think the reason that it holds on, long after all the beliefs with which it was connected have gone, is because it is fun.   How many things do we do in our lives that are just for fun?  My guess is not many.  It is ingrained in us that what we do must have a purpose. (Thank our Puritan, Protestant & Victorian ancestors for that!)  Activities are chosen for skills...

Hallowe’en. I love it. I can’t wait until the trick-or-treaters start coming to the door tonight, though I wish it were warmer for their evening sojourn. But what is this Hallowe’en holiday? Where does it come from? Why do some Christian churches speak against it? To understand the origins of Hallowe’en, we need to start with the practice within the Catholic and Orthodox traditions of naming saints. Certain people are seen to be especially holy and, because of their deep faith, able to perform miracles. These people, through a long church process of discernment are beatified or named as saints within...

We human beings are vulnerable creatures. No other creature needs tending and nurturing for as long as we human beings do. Most creatures are fending for themselves within a few hours, though some need a year. But no other creature is as dependent upon adult creatures for nurturing and protection. We need almost two decades before we take on adult responsibilities. Then even as adults we are vulnerable. We don’t have the hard shell of a tortoise, or the claws and jaws of a lion, or the stealth of a cougar or the power of a grizzly.   We like to...

500 Good Things! Now there’s a challenge. On paper or on computer, challenge your family to work together to name 500 good things: a piece of music, a ladybug you saw, a kind word offered, a surprise, getting out of bed in the morning or going to bed at night. Good things don’t have to be complex. The little joys in life are what we need to notice and cherish.   We as human beings are hard-wired to notice and remember what is wrong and dangerous and frustrating. It’s a survival thing. Cave men & women needed to feel alarm and...

What do you do when there is no “enthuse” left in your enthusiasm? Has it been awhile since you’ve felt real joy or laughed deep down from your belly? Are you in a situation where your head tells you that you should be smiling and enjoying yourself, but you actually feel totally neutral?   Such a state of lack of feeling is quite natural after all we’ve been through in the past 15 months, or after any situations filled with huge feelings such as the death of a loved one or the loss of a job. Think of all we felt...

©Susan Lukey 2014   I’d like to always be able to make things better for my kids. I’d like to keep them from pain and hurt and disappointment. I’d like to keep them from making mistakes and facing the consequences. I remember, when they were little, seeing their beautiful little faces squish up into tears and wanting to do anything to bring their smiles back. Even now, as they move through the teen years, it still breaks my heart when I see them hurt or disappointed or distraught. I’d like to always be able to protect my kids from the trials...