Reminder: Hydrate in the Winter
The nurse attempts to draw blood for my yearly thyroid test today, and she can’t. She brings in another nurse (the expert who can “draw blood from a rock”) who takes one look at my arm, presses into all my veins, and shakes her head. “You’re dehydrated,” she reports. “What have you been drinking?” “Coffee. […]
The Pattern I’m Seeing
This same day, back in 2010, I blogged on teaching writing. I explained to my classes that they must “write like a jellyfish.“ The next year, on this same day, God provided the most beautiful answer to prayer when I asked God to send my daughter some joy. In 2012, on this same day, I […]
“When you’re living in fear, every issue is overwhelming.” ~Ed Dobson
Today I watch a short film by David Cook, “Consider the Birds,” that documents the journey of Ed Dobson as he battles ALS. In the clip I watch, Ed says, “When you’re living in fear, every issue is overwhelming.” Instead of fear, Ed talks about letting go of his future and trusting God who will […]
Winter
It’s winter here! The Winterberry Bush holds the evidence, and I’ll watch it all season from my window. I love what I can see through bare branches. You’ve heard it said that light shines through our broken places, and today I remember what I might see better when something’s missing.
The Other Abundant Life
I have a list in my head of what constitutes the “abundant life” Jesus describes in John 10. His promise is that “[He] has come so that we might have life and have it abundantly,” so naturally, I imagine all sorts of wonderful things that could come about in my life. This morning, however, I […]
Working Out of Your Weaknesses
Let me confess how absolutely terrible I am at all things administrative. Things like posting grades, finishing recommendations, sending thank-you notes, responding promptly to email and texts, and all other kinds of office work drive me crazy.I’m a big picture creative person. I’m awful at details. Are you like this? Help me! I woke up this […]
What You Have to Accept Before Going Into It
Guess what? My kitchen is a disaster of food coloring and sprinkles, and I’m totally OK with it. After ten years of making Christmas Cookies with our favorite recipe ever, I know what to expect. I even blogged about it last year, so I know exactly what I’m getting into. If you remember, I have […]
Fog on the Path
We wake up to fog. Fog in the Woods With poor visibility on the walk to school, we nevertheless press on. In fact, it’s beautiful. We know the fog won’t last long, so we enjoy it. I think about all the confusing, unclear, or unseen things on my own path. Perhaps I’m to stop and […]
Cutting Beautiful Snowflakes (A Craft Even I Like)
Every December, we cut snowflakes to decorate our doors. We’ve been cutting snowflakes for years, and, no matter how many I cut, I still love the surprise of it. I tried to make a cat face, but it turned out like a batman face with hearts all over it (see below). We fold paper and […]
Not My Problem
I recently heard my husband describing an interview he heard with the late Bill Bright. When asked about some of the biggest problems he had faced in his life, Dr. Bright replied that he didn’t have any problems. When the interviewer pressed him on it–surely Dr. Bright had problems!–the man insisted that he had no […]