The First Word You Think of in the Morning
We live our lives through language. Lately I’ve been noticing the very first word that comes to my mind when I wake up in the morning. Sometimes, the words invoke despair. They bring about a world of doubt, hopelessness, and cynicism. They fill me with anxiety. But for the last several days, I’ve opened my […]
The Question They Ask Most
As folks write about their blog’s year-in-review, I decide to look up the information about my blog’s traffic sources. How do readers find Live with Flair? What leads them here? I discover that just like last year, the most-asked question people googled in 2013 that led them to my blog was this: How do I […]
I’m Not the Only One
I’m amazed that when you share your deepest insecurities and struggles, someone always says, “You, too? You mean I’m not the only one?” This morning, I share my thoughts on being “seated in Christ” with a crowd of folks. I’m confessing my current struggles with the 3 A’s: Appearance, Affluence, and Achievement. I wonder if […]
Nothing Hides Here
The cats alert me that something’s outside the window. They pace nervously, meowing and pawing at the glass. It’s a little bird. I peer outside and notice the tangle of branches against the morning sky. I’ve looked out this same window for seven years. I used to wait for the most glorious morning when the […]
A Final Thought on Christmas: Do You Hear?
I’m still listening to Christmas music in my home. I notice how many songs ask me to “hear.” Many Christmas carols, in fact, ask the listener to stop and “hear the angels sing.” Oh hush the noise, ye men of strife, and hear the angels sing. As I think about 2014 fast approaching, I decide to […]
If You’re Comparing Your Christmas
This morning, I remember a statement from July 2011. Back then, I thought that everyone else was having so much more fun than I was in a different location, with different friends, and with different experiences. It was painful to think like this. This Christmas, the thought didn’t cross my mind as I saw all […]
The Loneliest and Best Christmas Eve
A few Christmas Eve’s ago, our family didn’t know what to do after the Christmas Eve church service. We were far from family and friends and a little lonely. Out of the blue, my husband suggested we go out to dinner at a Japanese restaurant for hibachi (where they cook the food at your table). […]
In a Single Night
When I was in 6th grade, my teacher, Mrs. Kaiser, told the class what Christmas was like for her as a child. She went to her grandparents’ farmhouse out in the country. All the aunts and uncles and cousins gathered for Christmas Eve. What was strange was that nobody decorated for Christmas. No lights, no […]
All the Christmas Goodies
For the Christmas holidays this year, we make traditional iced Christmas cookies to share, but we also attempt a Red Velvet Cake and various kinds of fudge. The endless supply of sweets is just part of the season around here. If you stop by, you won’t leave without a plate of something sweet to take […]
A Little Quote from Saving Mr. Banks
I loved Saving Mr. Banks, and I especially love when Walt Disney explains why we tell stories. He says that the purpose of storytelling is to “restore order with imagination” and to “instill hope again and again.” I love the idea of restoring order and instilling hope. That’s exactly right.