Dianna Buchwalter

There’s a monster in our house.  That’s right-a big, ferocious tickle monster that comes out daily.  He seems to make his way to both of my children, upon request. The laughter that echoes out of their mouths will light up a room with joy. How ridiculous would it be if I told my kids I couldn’t tickle them because when they move, they could bump their heads on something and get hurt? Pretty silly idea, right? So many intoxicating, playful times would be lost all for what could happen. Life is filled with great moments like that. The kind that bring delight and pleasure. Sometimes, their short lived and others last much longer than we expect.  But, with those, also come the trials and heartache.  As we age, we witness more blows so we come to expect the bad will always follow the good. As a result, even when things are going smoothly, we will hold our breath and wait for the other shoe to drop. Why do we let the good things in our lives be overshado...

The past came knocking today, with nothing new to say; She told it to leave and yet there it stayed. It invaded her thoughts and held her captive within; Bringing visions and flashbacks of a life lived in sin. The trip down memory lane revealed a girl covered in shame; Saddened by her choices and haunted from outside voices. She remembered she was washed clean one glorious day when she grew tired of living life her way; In an instant He made her new, not by good works but just by asking Him to. So, she slammed the door and fell to her knees, thankful these were distant memories; For where she was and where she is, was a lifetime apart when she recalled she was His. The light broke through and a smile reappeared, as her future was calling and it was instantly clear; She wasn’t her past nor her mistakes, she was God's daughter and all sins He erased.

Divorce is like death, only it doesn’t kill you. Sometimes, it comes like a thief in the night. Other times, it’s years in the making. When reality hit that my marriage was at the end of its rope, I felt lost. No matter how bad it became, it was familiar and all I had come to know. But, the end arrived. And with it came feelings of heartache, hopelessness and insecurity. So, I found myself at the beginning of a new life as a single mom. Not only did I carry the emotions of the dissolution but I had new feelings to throw in the mix. Worry. Uncertainty. Fear. Over time, my new life became familiar. As my heart healed, I began to look to the future with anticipation. There’s a line in the movie Hope Floats that has become a favorite. “Beginnings are usually scary, endings are usually sad, but it’s what’s in the middle that counts. So when you find yourself at the beginning, just give hope a chance to float up. And it will.” As we are approaching the collision of one year’s end...