This + That, No Matter What
A friend tells me the secret to staying strong through illness and pain. This friend stays sick six months of the year. “I used to pray for hope and focus on the future. I just didn’t want to feel hopeless.” Praying for hope sounds good to me. I think of all the ways I put […]
One Precious Sentence
You know how over the years I’ve prayed for great friendships for my daughters. Well, last night, we arrive at our middle school for orientation, and I find myself so nervous about whether my daughter will find friends. Her homeroom class has no girls from her 5th grade class, and 6th grade suddenly seems overwhelming. […]
More Wise Words from the Baker Family
The Baker family came last night for their annual visit. If you recall, this is the family of seven with the mother who claims the sign of a happy childhood is dirty children. This family–with no television or video games–has instead developed musical abilities, a deep love of reading, excellent conversational skills, and even entrepreneurial […]
Roll. Don’t fold.
After 11 years, I’ve finally figured out how to deal with everyone’s clothing. Folding clothes in stacks doesn’t work for us. The drawers become a disaster in one frantic search for the right t-shirt. So we roll every shirt and pants into little tight cylinders, from the bottom up, so you can see the shirt’s […]
4 Questions: A Current Events Challenge
This semester, I’m asking students to refresh their brains with some current events challenges. I clearly remember when I asked my college freshman some simple questions about our political leaders and basic geography. One student couldn’t name the Vice President of the United States. Once, a student thought Mexico was in Europe. I’m not kidding. […]
He Cuts Things Out
As my climbing roses grow, I find myself carefully tending them more than any other plant in the garden. I prune anything dried or diseased and gently guide the branches towards their trellis. This morning as I read my Bible, I’m reminded of John 15 where Jesus claims, “I am the true vine, and my […]
“If you lose your mind, you lose it into the hand of God.” Elizabeth Goudge
A new friend recommends one of her favorite books to me. It’s The Scent of Water, by Elizabeth Goudge. It’s a wonderful book! One character who fears for her mental state as she battles depression receives wise counsel from a spiritual friend. When she expresses how terrifying it is to lose your mind, the man […]
Down This Forgotten Path
I return today to a little park that I once frequented with strollers and juice boxes–back when my oldest started kindergarten instead of middle school. So much time has passed! We walk down a familiar path that we’d forgotten about: the butterfly garden trail that six years later has grown indeed. Well-planned and perfectly tended […]
Spinach Lasagna Rolls (Cheap and the Kids Make Them!)
Today my youngest requests one of her favorite meals for dinner: Spinach Lasagna Rolls. For under $10.00, you can make enough for two dinners, and children love to make them! Here’s how: 1. Boil lasagna noodles according to package directions.2. Meanwhile, cook and thoroughly drain one package of chopped frozen spinach.3. Then, mix a large […]
Add This Verb to Your List
This morning, my friend asks me to pray for forbearance. Nobody has ever asked me to pray that they might forbear. I’ve actually never used this verb in writing before, so I decide to look it up. I assume it means something like persevere or strengthen, but it actually means to restrain even when provoked. […]