When You Say No to Yourself
I’m struck by the prolific green bean bushes. The more I pick, the more they produce. I venture out with my colander, and I return every two days with it half-filled with crisp, long, bulging green beans. How do so many grow so quickly? I love the principle of it all: the more it offers, […]
“Deeply moving currents don’t always show.”
Today I read this advice from the director of Camp Greystone. He’s reminding parents not to interpret a child’s thoughts by whether or not they manifest in an outward, surface display. Deeply moving currents–of a child’s heart and also the wider work of God with us–don’t always show. I know this concept from my years […]
An Essential Project That’s Well Worth Your Time
I’m doing something that’s tedious and time-consuming this week: I’m compiling photos from 2012-2013 to make our family story book. Keep reading. I will justify this time spent. Every two years, I make a photo album on shutterfly.com. Essentially, I tell our family story for those years. I choose a theme or a word to […]
A Huge Little Prayer
This morning I read a comment by Hannah Whitall Smith from The Veil Uplifted. She writes, “We are made for union with Him, and union must mean oneness of purpose and thought, so the only pathway to this union must be a perfect harmony between our will and His.” I prayer for a “perfect harmony” […]
How to Teach Children to Be Great Hosts (and Why)
My daughter invites a friend for a sleepover, and I take a moment to remind her what it means to be a great host. I remember that certain things aren’t intuitive; you have to teach young children how to welcome someone into their home. First, I remind my daughter to immediately make a guest feel […]
Hiding the Effect for Your Own Good
Today I visit a neighbor’s house. She planted an enormous garden, and while she’s in and out with all her travels, she invited me to harvest her wonderful beans, tomatoes, squash, rhubarb, and my favorite: her raspberries. I’m slinking my way into the berry patch with my silver bowl to get the hardest to reach […]
A Day that Changed Me Forever
I’ve been sitting in my rocking chair by the Weeping Cherry and reading The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. It’s a cool morning, and I have my old green sweater around my arms, a fat cat at my feet, and coffee by my side. I feel older than I’ve ever felt in my life. […]
I Do Love Pennsylvania
I take to the walking trails through the woods behind my home. When I walk far enough, I’m surrounded by the woods again. It’s cooler and darker here, and a deer darts by me. How blessed it feels to hear the whisper of a creature in her hidden life and see that trace of something […]
Before and After Wildflower Garden
Do you remember how in March, we spent $3.00 on our greenhouse and seeds for a wildflower garden? Well, here’s the truth: you plants some seeds, and one day, one glorious day. . . PS: We planted all the seedlings in Kate’s old Turtle Sandbox. We filled the sandbox from childhood with potting soil to […]
A Last Resort Turned First Choice
My friend in high school played cards nearly every day. His family played cards after dinner or at odd times when the chores were finished. His friends played cards on weekends, gathering in dusty, mysterious basements. I turned down every invitation to play cards with him except one, and that was because we were trapped […]