The Psychology of Punctuation
If you’ve never considered how your punctuation marks advance arguments and create emotion in themselves, let me delight you. Let me change your life. Let me forever transform how you view punctuation. I tell my students this: the colon makes an argument. It’s bossy. It’s a controlling, dominating symbol that pushes the reader around. Use […]
What You Need God to Reset
Last night, I ventured out in the cold with my husband to stand in line for Winter Jam seats alongside thousands of teens with their youth groups. My own daughters found their friends and joked with their youth pastor who, of course, arranged for hot pizza to arrive for all the teens as they waited […]
Fresh Courage
I’m excited to read this new book by my favorite educator Parker Palmer. It’s called The Courage Way: Leading and Living with Integrity. In the sample I began to read, I found myself so intrigued by the idea of “creative courage” and what it would look like to measure my year by how much creative […]
Today We Lose a Tree
Today we lose our tree! The tree experts explained how the tree wouldn’t survive; it needed to come down. We realize how this tree–this witness tree–was here for everything: the jumping rope, the swinging, the chalk, and the raking. It welcomed us home, brought beauty with vibrant leaves in the autumn, and housed the nests […]
Afternoon Light
I stand at the kitchen window, as I always do, in the late afternoon. Today, the wind blows the snow off the tree limbs, and the flakes catch the light of the setting sun so that the whole forest shimmers in panels of lights, like draperies hung from the sky. I sip the tea my […]
Teaching Helpfulness
Today I remember the blessing of helpful people. I thought of what characterizes such people: Helpful people live ready to assist. They reserve the energy, time, and resources they have in order to bless others. It’s as if they truly believe their day is not their own; it belongs to God to use them as […]
Still Telling the Story
Tomorrow afternoon, I provide a guest lecture in a Bio-behavioral Health class on the story of our Neighborhood Fitness Group and our Walk to School Campaign. The professor asked me to share this story as a way to talk about the profound impact of a small community effort on well-being. I talk about what changed […]
Some Meal Ideas for the Week for You
In case you need some menu planning on this cold, winter, day, I present to you the menu for the week based on the recommendation of my daughters: Rachel Ray’s Linguini with Clam Sauce Sheet Pan Turkey Dinner from Life Made Sweeter. Pioneer Woman Lasagna (enough to freeze four servings) Vegetarian Enchiladas (made with refried […]
A Great Verse to Memorize: Psalm 68:19
I read again this morning the following in Psalm 68:19: “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” How wonderful to remember the daily, personal care of God who bears whatever burdens this day brings.
Big Gratitude in Small Things
The downpour I encountered as I left the grocery store flooded my shoes with water. My wool socks soaked in so much water that they felt heavy and freezing as I journeyed home. Bursting through the kitchen door, I stripped off the socks to free my waterlogged feet. And then, I found fresh wool socks […]