Denise Day Spencer

For those of you who may be wondering, yes, I took the pill. And I’ve been taking it faithfully every day for the past four weeks. The first couple of days I felt pretty strange, both physically and emotionally. In fact, the first entire week everything was a little “off.” I just didn’t feel like myself. But by the start of week two, things began to get to my new state of “normal.”

It’s been just like everyone said it would be. I’m still me, for good or for ill. But instead of being controlled by my emotions, I’m now better able to control them. Instead of being pushed to a point of despair when the stress mounts, I’m now better able to take it in stride. I still feel happy. I still feel sad. But it’s what a person should feel in day-to-day life, without the unhealthy extremes. (It has been giving me some pretty freaky dreams, but I won’t complain about that.) Oh, and God and I remain on speaking terms.

Early on, it helped my perception of being medicated to know that mine is an SSRI. It doesn’t work by adding some foreign substance to my brain chemistry; it simply helps me make better use of my body’s own serotonin. I really like that. I hope the medication helps me be more of the person my Creator intended me to be than ever before. But this whole thing has gotten me to thinking… Read the rest of this entry »

I love to read. Michael has his Shakespeare and I have my Dickens. But I have a confession. As much as I love Dickens, I’m just now reading Oliver Twist. I’ve read, among other works, The Old Curiosity Shop, Our Mutual Friend and even Bleak House. But somehow I’ve never met Oliver until now.

I’m enjoying it, of course, but every time I start a new novel by Charles, I have to get used to his manner of speaking all over again. Sometimes before I fully get into it, I make a blunder or two. Take the following quote, for instance. Oliver’s master, Mr. Sowerberry the undertaker, is talking with his wife about how the boy might be more useful:

“It’s only about young Twist, my dear,” said Mr. Sowerberry. “A very good-looking boy, that, my dear.”

“He need be, for he eats enough,” observed the lady.

“There’s an expression of melancholy on his face, my dear,” resumed Mr. Sowerberry, “which is very interesting. He would make a delightful mute, my love.”

“Oh, no!” I thought in horror. “Not that! They’re going to cut out his tongue!” Dickens may be the master of pitiful, but he’s not that macabre. What was this? Dickens goes Mel Gibson? Oliver Twist does Titus Andronicus?

Wait a minute. “Mute” can mean, among other things, “a professional attendant or mourner at a funeral.” Mr. Sowerberry, the undertaker. Oh…..O.K….

Whew! For a minute there I was worried about my beloved author. Turns out I just needed to get down with that old Victorian lingo.

Another children’s sermon in my series based on the doctrinal summaries in the Disciple’s Study Bible.

SCRIPTURE: Acts 4:10-12

OBJECT: some type of swimmer’s lifesaving device

We’ve been talking about Jesus. We’ve learned that Jesus is God’s Son, and that He was really human when He was here on earth. It’s because Jesus was both God and man that He could be our Savior. Read the rest of this entry »

Fellas, having trouble figuring out the whole romance thing? In honor of Valentine’s Day, here’s a bit o’ humor from Scott Adams’ “Dilbert Blog.” Check out his post “Baffled by Romance” from January 19th.

Well, it’s almost Valentine’s Day, and you know what that means. It’s time for the guys over on the BHT to begin their annual rant against romance. I don’t think they’ve started yet, but there’s still plenty of time.

They have good intentions. They make many good points which are very true. They quote John Piper, and I like John Piper. Yes, marriage should be about more than romance–much more. Yes, romance fades but real love lives on. Yes, marriage is way more about agape love than any other kind. It’s about sacrifice, sometimes even suffering. It’s about giving even when you don’t feel like it. But still, I wonder…

Does it have to be either/or? Read the rest of this entry »

The third of three dramas I’m posting from past Holy Week services at OBI. This is a two-woman skit that depicts Mary’s memories of and fears for her son, Jesus, before his crucifixion. Read the rest of this entry »

The second of three Holy Week skits I’m posting from years past in our chapel services. This one is a four-man drama about the thieves who died with Jesus. Read the rest of this entry »

I know it’s only early Febuary, but I believe in getting a head start. I’d like to share three skits that I wrote some years ago for our annual Holy Week services in chapel. If you can use one or more of them this Easter season, be my guest.

First, a two-man skit about Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. Read the rest of this entry »

Another in my series of children’s object lessons, based on the doctrinal summaries in the Disciple’s Study Bible.

SCRIPTURE: John 1:14

OBJECT: a bandage

We’re thinking again today about Jesus. We said last time that Jesus is God’s Son. Today I want us to look at another important fact about Jesus. He was human. Read the rest of this entry »