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Bah Humbug!

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Last Wednesday I saw A Christmas Carol the broadway musical at The Wick in Boca Raton, Florida. I highly recommend it. On Saturday I went to a Christmas party/book exchange and walked away with the beautiful edition pictured above. My attitude this year has been rather “Bah Humbug,” which is not usually an issue for me, but two doses of Dickens has helped.

Part of the issue is a major construction project which has made our living space quite small. I wasn’t even going to do a Christmas tree because of the mess. But my sweet Nate insisted on buying me a little tree the first day he was home. And honestly I’ve probably never appreciated the smell so much. I can look at the lights on the tree in that little corner and pretend that there is no construction. Obviously any construction project is a first world problem. All five of us will be together starting on Sunday and I am immensely grateful for that.

Even so, the reminders from A Christmas Carol are helpful.

Dickens wrote that the misery experienced by the ghosts “was, clearly, that they sought to interfere, for good, in human matters, and had lost the power for ever.” And he was correct. We will all lose that power, and we should make today count for eternity.

Another passage that stuck out to me was this one:

And now Scrooge looked on more attentively than ever, when the master of the house, having his daughter leaning fondly on him, sat down with her and her mother at his own fireside; and when he thought that such another creature, quite as graceful and as full of promise, might have called him father, and been a spring-time in the haggard winter of his life, his sight grew very dim indeed.”

This longing for family, daughters in particular who I am only gaining through marriage, is conveyed in such a sweet and unique way: “a spring-time in the haggard winter” of life. I love it!

And of course this passage is wonderful too:

“But they didn’t devote the whole evening to music. After a while they played at forfeits; for it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself.”

I hope as we are getting so close to Christmas that you have many opportunities to be child-like and to reflect on the fact that the “mighty Founder ” of Christmas was a child himself.

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.

Isaiah 9:6-7a

Blessings,

Kristie

The Magic of 500

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Hi Friends,

I hope you and yours had a lovely Thanksgiving. We mixed it up this year and celebrated Thanksgiving in Florida’s Panhandle. This meant fewer flights and less stressful travel. Plus, it left open the possibility of getting to the Iron Bowl, which only one of us ended up following through on.

At one point I was relaxing by the pool watching a dad throw the ball for a group of boys playing 500. The magic of this simple game has delighted young boys for generations. It made me so nostalgic. My sons still love throwing a football on the beach, as evidenced above, but the utter delight of childhood 500 is a thing of the past.

It made me think about how babies and young kids make holidays all the more enjoyable. We had many laughs this past week, and we played lots and lots of games, but I miss the sweet innocent days of little ones. Children have such simple faith and enjoy such simple pleasures, and of course, nothing is better than holding a baby. I love just watching babies take in the world around them, smiling and laughing so easily. Grandchildren are not in our near future, but I hope to do a better job of seeing relatives or including young families in our celebrations.

Simone Weil said, “To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul.” The magic of boys playing 500 and children at holiday events then are not mere traditions, they are experiences that joyfully root us. As my own family is now full of adults who have moved a lot, the lack of rootedness is apparent to me in odd moments. One of my goals for 2026 is to do a better job of growing roots, and thankfully, I have a marriage to look forward to next summer. What’s more rooting than that?

Still, even though I agree with Simone Weil, our most basic need is to know Jesus and to be rooted in His love.

These words from the Apostle Paul form a beautiful prayer:

Praying tonight that You ” being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:17b-18).

With Love,

Kristie

Hot Tips: Make Eye Contact and Set Limits

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In 1997, Will and I moved to Arlington, Virginia, where I was starting law school and Will was starting residency at Walter Reed. One of the first Saturdays we lived there, we packed a picnic and gloves and a baseball and went to the Jefferson Memorial. After our picnic, our game of catch was short-lived, because Park Police told us there was no ball playing allowed. It was a matter of reverence.

But things have changed. Just a few weeks ago I was walking around the Iwo Jima Memorial. A cute young girl was using a ball throwing thing with her dog. Since I circled the monument a few times to try to get in a few steps and take in the fall colors, I passed this girl, her dog, and the ball repeatedly. I would’ve smiled at this girl, but she had expert training in not making eye contact under any circumstances. In fact, most young people in DC have this skill. And I’m just going to be honest: I hate it. I’m an introvert. I find small talk exhausting. But the no eye contact thing is weird. I was in Washington the same month I spent a week in Alabama. Guess which group of people seems happier? It’s not even close.

Partly it’s the old truth: right feelings follow right actions. Smile and acknowledge, and you feel more joyful and worthy. Who is responsible for teaching so many to stay in sad and awkward silos? The Bible says we are made in the image of God. Do you ever stop to think how incredible that is? Should an image-bearer be committed to ignoring other image-bearers? Obviously not.

But I have another tip for you. And I guess it’s probably related since it involves social media. Last Friday morning I was writing in my prayer journal, confessing yet again that I had not been using my time wisely. I felt right then that I should set a limit on my phone. I put my prayer journal down and had to look up how to do it. I set a limit on social media for one hour. Seemed pretty generous. I know someone who has a much shorter limit, and he cannot change it because his friend has the password. But guess what? Even though it was like 11 am, I had already reached an hour! Kind of embarrassing. But also kind of great, because the rest of the day I was more productive and focused than usual.

A week in and I can tell you this limit is my friend! I feel like my attention span is healing with all the reading I’ve been doing.

Plus, in the only Psalm written by Moses, one verse says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Let’s number our days aright and affirm the worthiness of those around us.

Blessings,

Kristie

Can You Ever Go Home?

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Hey Friends,

I hope you are kicking off this month of Thanksgiving in some wonderful way. I walked along the beach this morning on a path I haven’t done in months. I used to do it all the time. But in the last year I have taken not one, but two, nasty falls on that route. Both times I was enjoying my music and evidently not paying enough attention to the little variations on the sidewalk. Both times I scarred my knee and hurt my wrist. So I tried to be so careful today. No music, just enjoying the cooler temps and the beautiful sights. And in some ways this feels like home. We’ve lived here for more than three years now and I have memories from this precise area since I was eleven years old. We got engaged here. We have a ton of great memories here. We have a wonderful church community and I feel known and loved.

But in some ways, nothing feels like home. My first eighteen years were spent in Michigan, but obviously that was a long time ago. I spent a total of seventeen years of adulthood in Northern Virginia and as much as I love it there and have wonderful friends there, it doesn’t feel like home. I visited just last week and the “this is not home” sentiment feels a little sad. I had babies there. I was flooded with memories practically everywhere I went. But still, it was not home.

Our two older sons graduated from high school while we lived in Tennessee, and there were some tremendous blessings in that season. But as charming and beautiful as it is there, I haven’t felt like it’s home when I have visited.

Truly, nowhere feels like home. But maybe that’s a gift. Maybe the nomadic life leaves you with an openhandedness that is healthy. I do not feel like I have to live in a particular place to be happy. In fact, I feel pretty confident that I could live almost anywhere and soak up whatever a certain locale has to offer. Maybe because I don’t have an earthly home like some do, my longing for an eternal home is stronger. I hope that’s the case, because all of us are just passing through.

As Paul writes in Philippians 3:20-21, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

Everything and everyone is subject to Him. One day my lowly body– that trips and falls– will be like Jesus, glorious beyond imagining. And what comfort to know that I cannot be plucked from His hand. My citizenship is sure, written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Yes, that is home.

What is home to you?

With Love,

Kristie

Hairdresser Wisdom

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I recently had a fascinating interaction with a hairdresser. He told me he has the same conversation over and over again. Women sit in his chair and lament that their children do not want children.

He also told me about one client who is in her 50’s. This woman cares for her aging mother and wonders how her mother could possibly get by without the help she is able to provide. She worries about what will happen when she herself begins to require help yet has no children.

These are sad conversations. I have compassion on this man who navigates them daily. Meanwhile, I have multiple friends, roughly my age, who are already blessed with grandbabies. How can these divergent paths be explained? I think it’s just one word: evil. Satan is the father of lies and it’s a lie that anything in this world could be better than family, than trusting and obeying God’s design to procreate.

Jim Carrey said, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.” He’s on to something. One of the privileges of success or wealth is to know that it is not the answer. I’m sure you know some very successful people. I’m sure you know some wealthy people. I certainly do and none of them would claim that either is as satisfying as spending time with their families. Nothing we do is as impactful or joyful as building a strong family.

And yet no family is perfect. Even with attentive and loving parents, the world is a fallen place and there will be problems. But a Christian family that tries to live out the teachings of Jesus can point to the perfect peace and perfect belonging that we will enjoy in eternity. Of course there are people who are not blessed with a spouse or with children despite their intentions and desires, but I think their God-given roles are still family-like. We are all called to invest in future generations, to care for the aging in various capacities, to help every person we encounter to know that God loves them.

An older friend of mine has a granddaughter who will not speak to her. The granddaughter’s values do not “align” with her family’s and she has cut off ties with all of them. A willingness to do this should be met with shame by everyone. Every single person in this woman’s life (I think she’s around 30) should be telling her that she’s being ridiculous. A true friend will always encourage forgiveness, and reconciliation, if appropriate.

Satan wants us bitter and alone. Jesus wants to gather us like a hen gathers in her chicks. Satan wants us to focus on being aggrieved. Jesus wants us to be celebrate being grafted into the family of the One True King. Satan wants us cut off from our families and to live in uncertainty about our destiny. Jesus wants us to know that, as believers, nothing can separate us from Him.

Jesus said,“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” Matthew 10:16. How are you putting these words into practice today? Do you know who the wolves are? Do you recognize and fight against the lies of our culture? I hope so.

Blessings,

Kristie

The Grand Finale?

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Hi Friends,

You know on July 4th how the fireworks end in a grand finale? It’s just berserk, totally out of control? Bordering on being too much? That’s how I feel about my life recently. It has been one outrageously fun thing after another. I told Will I feel like maybe it’s my grand finale.

I am a huge and consistent proponent of the short vacation. We have made some incredible memories going somewhere for just one or two nights. But this month we took a thirteen night road trip! We spent the majority of our time in various spots in Alabama. It was Family Weekend in Tuscaloosa and our oldest son joined us too. Then we explored Alabama’s beaches and killed time until our middle son, a Georgia grad, was back in Auburn. He got back from a quick trip abroad the night before the Georgia @ Auburn game. We stayed with some of our favorite friends from Northern Virginia in Auburn, saw a bunch of old friends from Tennessee, and went for a beautiful hike at a local state park. I also snapped the picture above from a rooftop bar in Auburn.

I have spent quite a bit of time in Alabama for sports — lots of swim meets at beautiful natatoriums in Birmingham, Huntsville and Auburn. I’ve been there for baseball and basketball games too. Still, until this trip, I didn’t realize how much I love the state. It is a hidden gem of beautiful places and welcoming people.

I’ve been thinking about why this trip was so fantastic and I think there are some obvious reasons: we got to see all our boys and they are all doing great! But some less obvious reasons are that we watched almost zero television, except for a couple of football games. We didn’t keep up with the news much at all. Every day we spent the bulk of the day outside. Some days we ate only one meal but made it a good one. We got our steps in, and then some. Every day we laughed and laughed along the way. We have not taken that long of a vacation together since we went to Europe in 2000. Years ago I used to do two weeks plus in Michigan with the boys, but Will has never been able to stay the whole time. I feel like it was the most restorative vacation of my life.

Next week I get to see more old friends, look at wedding rehearsal venues and go dress shopping with my girl. Like I said, it’s a lot like that last 30 seconds of fireworks: totally out of control!

Truly, I have no reason to believe I’m in my last days. I am not the thinnest person but I am extremely strong and active. We eat pretty healthy too. But I am not promised another breath and neither are you. I think it’s beneficial to acknowledge that. Maybe your current season is full of hard things, and the days feel long and discouraging. Or maybe you are somewhere in between. But wherever we are, the truth is we need to know what happens when we die, because none of us is getting out of here alive.

I remember overhearing a conversation decades ago at a Chick-Fil-A play area. One woman was telling another woman how she’s a good person, how if there is a heaven she’ll surely be welcomed in. I honestly felt sick about it. How could anyone think they deserve heaven? I am all for life on earth being ruled on the merits. But when I die, I know my most righteous of deeds, which are few, are like filthy rags compared to a Holy and Perfect God. I have zero chance of being with Him for eternity on merit. No, my only hope is Jesus and His robe of righteousness.

For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Romans 10:3-4

Praying that my friends will not be ignorant of God’s righteousness, and that they would believe in Christ, whether it’s the grand finale or not.

Love to YOU,

Kristie

Jerry with One R

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Hi Friends,

I started writing this blog in August of 2008. It was a nice outlet for me to think and write deeply about various facets of life with three young sons. On occasion I would write posts specifically to commemorate events that I found particularly amusing or interesting. When I flip through my volumes of the early days from Spur, I have zero recollection of some of the stories. Had I not written about them they’d be forever lost.

So, I am shamelessly admitting up front that part of my motivation here is to remember the events of last night.

Yesterday we drove up to St. Augustine to attend an Alison Krauss & Union Station concert. Will bought the tickets when the tour was announced months ago and we’ve had it on the calendar as our first empty-nester trip. We stayed in a lovely hotel and Ubered to the Amphitheater.

The crowd was especially friendly, and we talked to various people around us. In fact, as we we walked in we saw an older couple we had chatted with at the hotel. When we were introduced to their friends, one woman hugged me “Hello.” As we entered the venue Will said, “Did you just hug that woman?”

But the funniest part was when we met the group sitting in front of us. The woman’s name was Alison (with one “l”) Kraus (with one “s”). After we had talked for a few minutes, Will said, referencing another band member, Jerry Douglas: “It’s funny that’s your name because my name is Jerry Douglas with one ‘r.’”

It was never clear whether they knew he was joking because they proceeded to call him “Jerry” the rest of the night. But the very best part was when we decided to walk partway back to hotel because the Rideshare line was too long. There we were walking down a pretty dark street in street in St. Augustine when a car zoomed by with a woman hanging out the window yelling, “JERRY!!!”

What a delightful time we had! I climbed into bed laughing about “Jerry,” and savoring hearing such fabulous live music. Making sweet memories is so good for your soul. As Ecclesiastes says there is a time for everything, including a time to laugh.

The picture above is of Saint Augustine and his mother Monica. I took this picture yesterday inside the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine. In his Confessions, Augustine said that those who knew his mother felt God’s presence in her heart. What a lovely sentiment! We do know that she prayed fervently for her son during his years of rebellion, and we know she was full of joy to know those prayers were ultimately answered.

Anyway I’ll close this with a refrain used as part of closing out the concert last night.

In Your Love I Find Release
A Haven From My Unbelief
Take My Life And Let Me Be
A Living Prayer, My God To Thee

Take My Life And Let Me Be
A Living Prayer, My God To Thee. (written by Ron Block)

With Love,

Kristie

Winning, Dooming and Rendering True Judgments

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Hi Friends,

I’ve had a winner of a day. First, I finished reading the Old Testament for 2025 (and tomorrow I get to dive into the Book of Matthew). Second, I finished my Continuing Legal Education hours for 2025, making it possible for me to practice law (more on that another time). Third, I whittled down my stack of papers to almost nothing — no unpaid bills, all important documents neatly filed. Perhaps this level of organization is the norm for you. But it is not for me.

The truth is, I am knocking out lots of little things in preparation for my next era. Will and I have a couple of trips coming up (one short, one long) and when we get back from the second one, it will officially be the end of my new-to-empty-nesting sabbatical. And I’m ready. As much as I love walking on the beach whenever I want, or going to swim laps if the notion strikes me, I want and need more structure. Six weeks to myself has been enough. I am struck once again by how I get more done when I have more going on.

Another thing that may have contributed to my winning day mentality is not having much time to doom scroll, which I have to admit I have done a lot of in recent days. It can be so discouraging to see how hateful people can be, how willing they are to take things completely out of context, how quick they are to voice opinions without giving an issue any time or research.

Yes, since Charlie Kirk was assassinated, I have been spending too much time doom scrolling, but I have also opened my Bible each morning in books like Hosea and Jonah and Zephaniah. These books paint a picture of a loving, long-suffering God who will rejoice over us with singing if we will repent.

Then this week, I was struck by this verse in Zechariah: “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” (7:9).

In addition to praying for revival in America, I am praying that this verse would be lived out. Let us render true judgments (let us not implicitly or explicitly allow untruths to go unchallenged). Let us be kind and merciful. Let us help the widow and the fatherless. Let us act in ways that do not oppress sojourners and the poor (let our churches care for these people, not the government — this needs its own post, but government “helps” are often a means of oppression). May God’s redeeming love root out the evil that some devise against others. Isn’t it amazing how much is packed into that one little obscure, yet timely, verse?

As always, thank you for reading and abundant blessings on your weekend! And how about reading the New Testament with me these last few months of the year? You can find the daily readings (through December 6) below.

With Love,

Kristie

Plumb Lines and My Man “AMEN!”

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Hi Friends,

I believe our prayers for revival are being answered. Many have reported that their churches were crowded this past weekend and social media has many accounts of people going back to church, or even visiting church for the very first time.

Our little church was packed on Sunday. In fact, Will and I were greeters and because of how full it was by the time we sat down, we ended up sitting apart. I didn’t know where he was until an initial prayer was closed and I heard his rather loud and quite distinctive “AMEN!” from the other side of the church. It made me smile and reminded me of our wonderful church in Tennessee where a friend of ours, after we’d been there a few years, started calling Will “Amen!” I don’t know if Will is the only person in the world who has ever had the nickname “Amen!” but I can tell you it fits. It fits perfectly.

This morning I finished reading the book of Amos. He wrote about a wall built with a plumb line. Have you ever used a plumb line? I have a distinct memory from early childhood of my dad using a plumb line to wallpaper our stairway. I was fascinated by the structure he built with a ladder on the lower landing and a thick plank of wood laid between the ladder and the upper landing. Although it was a very tall stairway, my dad stood on that plank and dropped a plumb line to mark a perfectly straight line.

Sometimes our world argues that there is no right way, or that the plumb lines that God has marked for us do not apply. I am praying that sermons all over America will be unambiguously Scripture-based this coming weekend. May the congregation also be welcoming and personable. God forbid that as Hebrews 13:9a says people are “led away by diverse and strange teachings.”

Using the theme more broadly, Charles Spurgeon said that we need to “apply the Bible plumb line continually in all [our] beliefs, and views, and practices.” [emphasis mine]. In essence, there is a right way. Lord, show us.

I have been involved with the C.S. Lewis Institute (CSLI) for many years. In fact, Will and I both started Year One of the Fellows Program twenty years ago this month. The website is full of wonderful resources but CSLI has also just launched a study courses website. There are various courses that might interest you. You can do them on your own, or with a group. They all look interesting and are very user friendly. I just started The Call course this morning, which is apt timing for me as I enter a new phase of life.

Praying for our country and the world to experience undeniable revival.

With Love,

Kristie

The Paradox of Belonging

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Friends,

Last week I wrote a post about how we need to submit to God by walking in obedience and trusting His plan and purpose. I argued that we have opportunities daily to practice through microsubmissions. These may be things like overlooking offenses, using formal manners or obeying our parents. I also said that while the idea of submission is repugnant to our culture, we should do it anyway because it is ultimately for our good.

While this is true, I regret writing it. The primary reason we should be worshipping and submitting is because HE IS GOD! It feels like I could rightly be amongst the people R.C. Sproul yelled at: “What is wrong with you people?”

I hope to never again write about how submission benefits me before I argue that it is what we owe the One True King.

Interestingly, on Sunday afternoon my husband and I listened to a Tim Keller sermon that happened to address this exact point.

Keller said, “We hate the idea of a king. We hate the idea of someone who has rights over us. We hate the idea of a king who has a yoke on us that says, ‘You belong to me. You are not your own. You must do as I say.’”

Our lives are marked by a perpetual search for belonging, even those with the most secular worldview would admit as much. Yet we will not know true belonging so long as we reject the yoke. It is this symbol that so aptly depicts our ultimate belonging, and this principle that our sinful nature so consistently and adamantly rejects.

Keller also quoted George MacDonald who said, “The central conviction in hell is ‘I am my own.'”

The truth is that you are not your own. You were bought at a price and the cost was immense. Jesus offers to put his head in the yoke with you, to love and to guide you, but you need to be yielded and trusting. How wonderful that even in the midst of this world that feels so out of control and full of hate, we can trust these gentle words of Jesus, which solve the paradox of belonging.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11: 28-30.

I am praying that revival breaks out all across our nation and the world. It is how we will know rest for our souls.

With Love,

Kristie