Anticipating God’s Work
This morning I hear from a wise older woman, Ceil, who has learned how to trust God through difficult circumstances. After many years of walking with Jesus, she writes this: “I find that now I feel less of a need to try to control circumstances, and I have more of a sense of anticipation to […]
When You Begin to Feel Old and Irrelevant
Every so often, the strange thought overcomes me that I’m too old and irrelevant to work with college students. This semester, I know I’m not imagining things. I grow older; they seem younger. I’ve already heard a few “OK, Boomer” comments (and I patiently remind them I’m actually Generation X, but that’s beside the point). […]
A New Word: Gimcrack
Last night I learn a new word: gimcrack. Gimcrack! It’s fun to say. It means “flimsy or poorly made but deceptively attractive” as in the gimcrack prom dress sparkled fake diamonds while the hemline fell. You can call a beautiful meal without a pleasant taste a gimcrack dinner. You can talk about your gimcrack room […]
Another Good Question to Ask
In one of our online class discussions, I ask students the same question Mary Pipher poses in her chapter “What You Alone Can Say” from her book Writing to Change the World. She asks, “What do you most respect in others?” The answers surprised me in many ways. I suppose I thought I’d only read […]
The Day of Small Things
This morning I read in Zechariah 4:10 the question, “Who dares despise the day of small things?” It serves as a warning and admonition to not despise or even worry about what seem like small things. I always smile because I know the Savior born as tiny baby seemed like small thing. God was helping […]
Let’s Go Find Something New Together.
In one of the assignments for our storytelling unit, students compose an I am From poem based loosely on George Ella Lyon’s “Where I’m From”. We includes a fun line that I cannot wait to read. You record the phrases you heard most as a child in your home. I love reading these. I laugh […]
“Snowflakes the Size of Hamsters”
This morning, the fluffiest snowflakes fell in Central Pennsylvania. My husband said, “We have snowflakes the size of hamsters.” I smiled about that all morning. I felt delighted by the image and the joy of novel comparisons. And I shall forever see fluffy, fat hamsters falling from the winter sky!
Treats Along the Way
Today I reminded my daughter that she’s not yet arrived at certain destinations she’s hoping for. It’s a time of patience, of transition to the next thing, and of redefining oneself. I think that young adulthood carries with it so much longing and possibility just over the horizon that you sometimes find yourself in a […]
How to Handle Jealousy and Comparison During College Acceptance and Scholarship Season
I thought my great maturity would take over when I heard that a friend’s daughter had full scholarships to two different schools and more on the way. We had just heard the news of rejection about a scholarship in our own family. The burning sting of jealousy rose in my chest as I thought about […]
Some New Things to Try in the Kitchen
I love trying new recipes. It’s a joyful, creative moment away from my regular work of the day. I recently tried these Three Ingredient Cookies (banana, oats, and chocolate chips). They work so well with ripe bananas. I didn’t think I would like these, but I did! And my daughter loves them. I also tried […]