A Throw Away Day
Today I remember that after exertion, one must recuperate. I’m listening to a new friend describe the way she recuperates after a day of activity. She’s still recovering from a serious illness, so she spends entire days regaining strength. She rests. She does nothing. Her health depends on these days. She calls them her “throw […]
“In Great Deeds, Something Abides”
I’m visiting Gettysburg, and no matter how many times I walk the battlefields, I’m always overcome with the extraordinary sacrifice of soldiers–then and now–who fight for freedom. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain’s words echo in my heart and mind as I walk. I remember his great speech at the dedication of the Maine Monument on October 3, […]
Perfect ‘Cause They’re Not Perfect
A couple from Texas–they know cowboy boots–comments on my own boots. “We love those boots!” they exclaim. The man leans over to look more closely to examine them and says, “They’re perfect because they’re not perfect. So many boots are too shiny and too fancy. Your boots are perfect.” I lean over to my friend […]
“The Hard is a Whole Lot Easier When You’re Living Your Dream”
Last night, I learn about the following conversation: A mother shares her concern over her daughter’s dream to run an orphanage in Haiti. “Why are you so concerned?” her friend asks. “Because it’s so hard there. Life will be so hard.” The friend looks at her directly and says, “Life is hard everywhere. But the […]
Obviously, This Isn’t Over
We finally cut down our dried-up sunflower bloom and roast the seeds. “Well, we did it,” I sigh to my daughter. It’s bittersweet; the whole journey ends. I turn to cut down the large stem, but I can’t do it. I keep the tall stem of the sunflower just growing in that pot–without the glorious […]
Did You Know?
This morning, the Dragon Boy begins every animated sentence with, “Did you know?” He has so much to share. “Did you know about . . .?” I learn about many types of dragons. I then learn about the game he’s inventing. “And did you know. . . ?” He continues with a new interesting fact […]
“Stress Comes from Assuming Responsibility for Things that Are Not Your Responsibility”
15 years ago (I remember the day!) a wise, older woman took me by the hand and said, “You experience so much stress. Sometimes stress comes from assuming responsibility for things that are not our responsibility.” What could she mean? She explained that God is responsible for it all. I’m not. Have I taken on […]
Dangling
I’m in line at the grocery store, and I can’t take my eyes off of a little baby strapped to his mother in a Baby Bjorn carrier. The baby, facing forward, dangles with joy: feet wriggling, hands waving, eyes exploring. He’s so free. One would think it would terrify a baby to dangle without any […]
“The Harder You Fall, The Higher You Bounce”
I’m telling my woes to my hairstylist (the one who told me last year that it’s better to be the spotlight than be in the spotlight), and he says, “Well, the harder you fall, the higher you bounce.” He advises me to go ahead and fall hard and fast into whatever pain or sadness each […]
What I’m Learning About Self-Acceptance
Yesterday, I learn about how to help children love who they are–who God uniquely made them to be. I’m observing the problems of conformity, popularity, social acceptance, and rejection all played out in my daughters’ (and my own) lives. We cry a lot around here. It’s painful to not fit in. It’s painful, but as […]