We welcome a new contributor to SpringUpword. Dani Pierson is a Younger Generation author that brings a fresh perspective to life with an Upword focus. I heard it again; the convicting Whisper. Last night, as I sat watching a movie that I had been wanting to see for a while, out of the blue the thought burst into my mind…
Babies Aren’t Supposed to Die
Babies aren’t supposed to die. But they do. They die in third world countries every day. And they die in the United States every day. But as a labor nurse in Northwest Arkansas, babies are reallynot supposed to die. But they do. A co-worker shared a story about a baby that died. Tragic! The worst! A truly heartbreaking situation. She…
Fasten Your Seat Belt
If you’ve flown commercially, you’ve heard it. “Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign. Please be seated and check to see that your seat belt is securely fastened.” Those exact words are mandated by the FAA when the captain deems it necessary. Airplanes and turbulence don’t mix well. I bet you know that! The…
The Christmas Promise
The words fall so glibly off my tongue — Merry Christmas. To my coworkers. To the lady who checked me out at the store. Sometimes, it’s even a courteous send-off in a work e-mail. I really do mean it. I don’t mean it to hurt. Sometimes it does. Elvis Presley first sang the song we hear this time of year…
Christmas and the Sears Catalog
Author’s Note: This is the third installment of our four-week Advent series. Biblical scholarship disagrees with the timing of Christmas and Jesus’ birth. That said, we’ll still take a four-week journey together to examine the meaning of the First and Second Advent in our lives. If you missed our first and second installments, please look them up on the Springtown…
Sing!
Author’s Note: This is the second in our four-week Advent series. The tradition of Advent is rarely mentioned in my faith tradition, but it is common in my family. Biblical scholarship disagrees with the timing of Christmas and Jesus’ birth. That said, we’ll still take a four-week journey together to examine the meaning of the First and Second Advent in…
Follow the Light
Author’s Note: Advent is a four-week season before Christmas that anticipates Jesus Christ’s arrival. Advent is rarely mentioned in my faith tradition, but it was common growing up in my family. Biblical scholarship disagrees with the timing of Christmas and Jesus’ birth. That said, we’ll still take a four-week journey together to examine the meaning of the First and Second…
A Train Across Your Road
“D’Rae, I’m having another gallbladder attack. I’m hurting so bad!” I heard the voice and knew instantly it was Jen, but did the phone even ring? Did I say hello? What is going on? “I’m coming,” I hear myself say. What time is it? Oh, it’s 9:45 pm! (That is one of the ways you know you are getting old…
Are You Worth Dying For?
For most of us, Pearl Harbor is just a page in a history book or a documentary on The History Channel. But even as the horrors of the attack fade, the powerful words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt ring loud — “Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in Infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and…
Remember Not to Forget
We mean well. Our intentions are honorable. We want to remember not to forget. Busy work schedules. Doctor appointments. Vacations. Bills to pay. Our good intentions are soon dashed. That fall day marked the first anniversary of my brother Jeff’s death. It was a day I wanted to forget, but my heartache denied me that blessing. Everyone in my life…