Beverly Joy Roberts

In a few more days, March will be history for another year.  I have heard this saying about the month of March all my life, "In like a lion and out like a lamb." March can be pretty fickle when it comes to weather.  It can be 70 degrees and sunny one day and a foot of snow the next. (At least here in Michigan.)  One proven fact about a Michigan March is that it doesn't matter if one day is sun and another is snow...eventually spring is coming and with it the promise of more pleasant days than unpleasant ones. Life can be a bit like the month of March.  We have to remember that when difficulties come our way that it is only for a season.   It's a proven fact that eventually spring is coming and winter is ending.   Ecclesiastes 3 reminders us that no matter what season we presently are in-- change will come. For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on earth: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time

A few weeks ago, I visited my daughter, son-in-law and four amazing grandkids in Indiana.  I was excited to see all of them, but I was also anxious to scope out their new home built in 1883.   Well, not actually new, but new to them! They haven't been living there very long, and during my visit I noticed an important (to me) missing piece.   The empty wall in front of the bathroom sink was clearly missing something.  With wet hair and no make-up,  I asked my daughter, "Where's the mirror?"      As I gazed at the non-reflective bathroom wall, the lack of a mirror reminded me that I was about to go out in public without doing any self-examination.   In James 1:22-25 (NIV) the Bible tells us that the Word is like a mirror that tells us the truth about ourselves. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.    Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror

"Are you paying me?" I've heard this phrase a hundred times in my life, and I too, have asked this question. "Are you going to pay me?" This question has become a favorite from two of the grandchildren who are temporarily living with us. This question usually follows this question from me, "Do you wanna help me in the yard?" The grandkids have learned that their labor is worth something because I've paid them before.  If I need sticks picked up or leaves raked, it's going to cost me.  Their past payment for yard work has been a few dollars, a trip to the thrift store or the best wage of all...a grandma hug. However, they never pick the hug.  I may be doling those out a bit too freely. When it comes to yard work, I have one worker who usually works a bit harder than the other.  I won't name names, but it's the girl.  She really has the whole " workman is worthy of his hire " thing all figured out. If she work

At the grocery story,  I saw a woman carrying on a full blown one-sided conversation with a box of cereal.   As I watched from a safe distance, her conversation became animated and one hand began gesturing. From my place of safety about half a row behind her, I wondered if I should proceed with caution or backup-on-outa there. I waited for a few seconds and then decided to push my cart forward, as far as I could around her, passing on the left.  I glanced back over my shoulder as the woman continued her one sided conversation. She seemed so absorbed with the cereal box that I thought I was totally oblivious to her. Then, ever so slightly, the woman turned her head and pointed at her ear. That's when I realized I was a gawker, and she was on a bluetooth ear piece talking to someone on the phone. Well, that was embarrassing!  Yet, it did cause me to ask this question... Whose voice are you listening too and whose counsel are you taking? In the Bible, Psalm 1 is an