A New Vocabulary Word: Inimical
I somehow missed the word “inimical” in my SAT prep and in all of my years studying English literature. Maybe I knew it once and forgot. Maybe I never knew it. Either way, I have so much to learn! I’m standing in line to order food, and the kind youngster takes my drink order. Whenever people […]
Encouraging Writers to “Go For It!”
Today, a student stops by my office and asks in a somber tone, “Do I have a chance at this?” Do I have a chance at this? He’s talking about his dream of becoming a writer. He’s not the only one stopping by, asking how to begin and where to begin the journey of becoming […]
Almond Cake!
If you need to whip up a quick and easy dessert, depend on this Italian Almond Cake. You can top it with a raspberry sauce or ice cream. When having folks for dinner (lasagna and salad), I love that feeling of enjoying a delicious meal—only to discover it’s not over! Dessert is on the way (with […]
Always Learning What and How to Cook
After all these years, and all these meals, I still find myself asking other parents, “What do you love to cook for dinner? What do your children love?” Sometimes, when children visit my home, I’ll pull them aside and say, “What’s your favorite thing your parents cook for dinner?” I want to know! I want […]
How You Use That Feeling
I tell a wise, older woman (someone who’s always on stage) all about how nervous I become before public speaking, especially before large audiences. It’s the worst! It’s a tightening, a storm inside, a clenching up, a racing heart, an irrational fear of impending doom. It’s a dark, terrible rush of. . . something. “It’s […]
Losing, You Win
This morning, I hear the principle of taking on the nature of a servant once again. Instead of wondering in any situation, “How can I win?” I’m challenged to ask, “How can I lose?” In other words, how can I give up even more of myself, my rights, and my comforts to serve others? How […]
Serving, Not Succeeding
I read a statement by Bill Bright that changes how I think about serving in speaking and writing. He writes in My Life Is Not My Own: “I am a slave of Jesus. It is not the slave’s responsibility to be successful, but simply to do with the master asks. When you understand this, you […]
He Seeks to Discover Himself
I think deeply about a quote from Tozer’s The Pursuit of God. It’s this: “Always, everywhere, God is present, and always He seeks to discover Himself. To each one He will reveal not only that He is, but what He is. He did not have to be persuaded to discover Himself to Moses. . . […]
The Values You Hold
Today I asked students to peruse a list of over 400 personal values and choose their top five. It occurs to us that our point of views and particular goals and values differ greatly from one another. We assume everyone around us values, for example, punctuality or tidiness, when, in fact, their highest personal values […]
Little Joys
My oldest daughter knit this little adorable bird and nest for me, and it rests on my piano. Such a tiny joy! I remember that living with flair has everything to do with recognizing those tiny things that make you smile. My daughter knows that I love seeking nests and eggs each new spring, and now […]