Always a Little Writing Lesson
We’re noticing the power of “repeated first words” in writing. My students implement the strategy, and they find their writing carries a new force. They find they create urgency. They find a new, weightier feel to their words. They find they have a voice. See how I did that? I repeated “they find” to create […]
When You Face Criticism
I laughed out loud when I read this quote by Dwight Moody this morning. I’m not sure of the original source, but here’s what I read. Apparently, when people criticized Moody for his methods in evangelism, he said this: “It is clear you don’t like my way of doing evangelism. You raise some good points. […]
“There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he does not mind who gets the credit.” –the plaque President Reagan kept on his desk
I’ve been thinking about a quote I heard last week. It’s this: “There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he does not mind who gets the credit.” This quote, according to the Reaganfoundation.org, was on a plaque that President Ronald Reagan kept on his desk in […]
What You Want, In a Different Form
I know this is one of my most random analogies to follow, but living with flair has always been about finding meaning and beauty in our ordinary days. And what’s more ordinary than. . . peanut butter? Yes, ever since I’ve been on my weight loss and fitness journey, I haven’t had much peanut butter. It […]
Tiny Little Movements
This morning I heard a great analogy to remember when you are trying to make any sort of life change. My friend says life change is like this: When a big semi-trailer truck tries to change direction and make a u-turn on a small a two lane highway, it seems impossible. If you’ve ever watched this […]
Something to Say to Any Child
My youngest daughter yammers away as I’m dropping off her older sister to youth group last night. I’m hearing all about math projects, music class, and the lunchtime dramas of a 5th grade girl. Then she tells me this: “Mom, in music, Mrs. Begg asked us if we all had a success-maker in our lives. […]
Merlin Let Me Pet Him
In the early years of Live with Flair, the one-eyed cat we rescued, Jack, became a blog celebrity. I recounted his journey of healing and found so many parallels to my own spiritual journey. As you know, we eventually adopted another cat, Merlin, who, for whatever reason, behaves like a wild cat. Unlike Jack, he’s […]
Try This: I Noticed That
As an educator, I always try to notice when students use the techniques I’ve been teaching. If I forget, they tell me. Oh, they tell me! “Did you notice that I used that semicolon? Did you notice that I used that chiasmus and that particularly vivid verb?” The shyer ones say, “I was hoping you […]
Notes on the Writing Life
You may have always dreamed of becoming a writer, and perhaps you pictured yourself in a little writing cabin in Maine with a fireplace, tea, and a cat snuggled beside you. The snow falls outside and you can hear it it’s that peaceful. It sounds like the distant jingling of a million sleigh bells. And […]
Wishing You’d Whiskered
This morning, I talk with my sister about whiskers. We note how long the whiskers are on each of our cats. We wonder how the whiskers know when to stop growing, why they are there in the first place, and how interesting it is to have whiskers. Yes. This was an ordinary morning of living […]