Just Start
I attempt to motivate students to write all week long. It requires high energy. I sweat. I sip iced coffee to sustain me as I defend the semicolon. I stretch out and cool down in between lessons on sentence variation and mood. I push my hair out of my face, catch my breath, and make […]
You Already Have It
My friend sends me a quote from Jon Acuff: “In your own chase to figure out your life, make sure you haven’t already caught what it is you’re looking for.” I stop and ask myself what it is I really, really want. I realize I have it already. In Ephesians 3, we read how we have […]
We’re Made to Marvel: Photos of the Secret Vernal Pond
Once the snow melts in the forest, we return to search for the secret vernal pond. We’re not certain of its appearance, but we travel quickly, snapping sticks and maneuvering around the thorny vines. Last time we checked, nothing but frozen peaks of muddy wetland, hidden by ice and snow, greeted us. The woods feel […]
The Return of the Extravagant Omelet: Artichoke and Crab
I’ve rediscovered my love of omelets. The whole concept of folding in all my favorite veggies or cheeses into a nice little pocket of protein yumminess just makes me happy. Plus, you can cut up everything the night before and make little baggies of chopped onion, pepper, and mushrooms to pour over your cooking eggs. […]
Before You Ask
This morning, I read in Matthew 6:8 where Jesus insists that “your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” A chapter later, Jesus talks about the things we worry over, and he claims, “your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” He already knows. He knows before we know. I consider the simple […]
I’ll Just Stand Here
I’m talking with my friend, and she reminds me of what it means to just stand by your friends. You quietly, faithfully, and prayerfully carry her burdens. You can’t solve anything or say the right thing. So you just stand there with her. Sometimes, you hug her. As I’m talking, my dramatic kitty rolls over […]
It’s Happening If You Look Closely
Despite all evidence to the contrary (snow, bitter cold mornings, and gloomy skies), a new season is arriving. It is. I can tell. I see the green buds among the tangled vines that border the forest. I find a robin, and I even spy a new nest forming deep in the bushes. That’s the whole […]
My Favorite Love Letter: Keep Writing or Become the Poem
I often quote Lilian Sandburg to encourage student writing. I remember exactly where I was standing in Carl Sandburg’s home in Flat Rock when I read Lilian’s words on a postcard to her discouraged husband. The National Park Service captures the exchange in these words: “Once, during the early years of their marriage, when he […]
When Your Favorite Memory Actually Never Happened
I’m teaching memoir writing to my students, and I instruct them to choose a “tiny moment” to recount for the class. Just a few nights before, I share with my friend about my memoir lessons, and he says, “My favorite memory actually never happened.” He explains what he means. I encourage him to write the […]
I Couldn’t Stop Eating It (So I Made More)
I’m on a mission to gain health. As I stood before a table of food choices at our Easter potluck, I noted the quinoa and mushroom salad. I haven’t eaten quinoa in years (pronounced KEEN-wah). It’s a grain-like Superfood (it’s a complete protein, high in iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and calcium) that cooks like rice or […]