What You Need Most of All
I read Psalm 59 and realize with joy that it’s the first recorded psalm of David. In my chronological Bible reading plan, I learn that you read Psalm 59 right after 1 Samuel 21. His first psalm! What would he write? What did he know—or need to know—most of all about God in this first […]
Already Into the Next
It feels like just yesterday I collected plump acorns under red-tipped oak trees. September came and went, and now by this past-mid October, it feels like the end of autumn nears. Already! The trees we admired on the daily walk sent their leaves flying over the weekend, and this afternoon these once joyous leaves rest […]
When the College Girl Returns
They’ll be long walks and long naps. They’ll be treats everywhere–like special coffee drinks, favorite snacks, and much-missed homemade dinners. They’ll be a bag of laundry to wash. Her two most missed dinners? The Spaghetti Squash Baked Ziti Boats and Vegan Garlic Pasta. I use a jar of sun-dried tomatoes instead of roasting mine. It’s […]
I Keep Thinking About This Quote
I came across this quote as James Clear discussed the danger in comparing ourselves to others. He quotes Martha Graham: “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And […]
Saving Your Work
Whenever I start a new manuscript, I remember to save my work in a few locations. In case a file becomes corrupted somehow (which has happened), or in case I accidentally delete it (happened too), or if some strange thing happens where I lose my work (and this), I always email a backup of the […]
Just Some Neighborhood Colors
Do I Exaggerate?
This morning I chuckled because I read a quote in a sermon by Frederick Faber (as noted by A.W. Tozer) in which he remarks that we “can never exaggerate. . . the compassionate abundance of the love of Jesus to us.” I laughed because I’m such an exaggerator. It’s been a character flaw I’ve worked […]
The Tea and the Honey
I love little morning rituals that help start the day. With the autumn chill now here and with the rain outside, it’s a perfect season for morning tea and honey. With my daughter in remote school, I now include her in the ritual. Everyone picks their own favorite tea: an English Breakfast for my husband, […]
The Pictures Fall Short
The pictures cannot bring you the smell of wood-burning stoves and oaky leaf piles gathered along the sidewalks. The picture cannot let you hear the sound of acorns crunching underfoot or autumn breezes rustling the leaves. It’s a bright parade of colors everywhere. We turn corners to see the best autumn colors we’ve ever seen–in […]
Greater Forces at Work Than Evil
This morning, my friend Leland from Camp Greystone wrote a wonderful devotion on how she’s able to rejoice in this day that the Lord has made. She recalls something from a beloved movie, The Lord of the Rings. She writes this: “One of my favorite lines is when Frodo, feeling very overwhelmed by the task […]