“I Know That Already–At Least I Think I Do”
This morning, I remind my oldest daughter that she doesn’t need to be perfect, and she doesn’t need to make everybody happy. After years of a codependent, people-pleasing kind of living, I’m acutely aware of the pitfalls that trap us. What I want to tell her (and myself) is that we’re free. Jesus loves us […]
Step Away from the Story
As I revise and rearrange chapters in a novel to prepare to present to publishers, I find myself so overwhelmed. Settings, characters, and dialogue swirl up and out of reach. I lose narrative threads; I forget what and where and why and how. I remember that it’s possible to get so immersed in a story […]
“Find New Folks Each Time Around”
I take some girls ice skating today, and we’re having the best time holding hands as we all go around the rink. But then, an official looking skater approaches us and tells us that we “can only hold hands with one other person.” Apparently, our long chain of hilarious bliss hinders other skaters. Our great […]
What You Otherwise Wouldn’t: In Praise of Gloomy Days
We all agree that cold rain is our least favorite weather event. We’re walking to school, and suddenly, the dark sky pours down cold rain upon the icy sidewalks. We weren’t expecting this, and even our phone apps don’t predict it. We frantically borrow umbrellas from kind neighbors and dial our phones to beg for […]
The Night Before
I’m learning how to anticipate what’s coming and prepare. Simple things done the night before change the whole mood of the coming day. Small things: Packing lunches the night before. Filling the crock pot with ingredients for turkey chili the night before. Laying out everyone’s clothes the night before. Stuffing snow suits and pairing mittens […]
Until You’re Told: My Potassium Issue
Lately, I’ve been thinking about electrolytes because my new fitness plan tells me–at the end of the day–if I’ve met my nutritional requirements. I’m absolutely deficient in potassium. Who knew that one needs 4.7 grams a day! That’s a lot of potassium. Apparently, I don’t eat many foods that contain potassium. And I need to. […]
You Just Haven’t Met Them Yet
I’m amazed every time. Just when I think my circle of interesting people has closed, I meet a whole new class of incredible people. I’m sitting in an empty classroom, and they begin to arrive like little trickles of an incoming tide. Some talk. Some don’t. Some smile. Some don’t. By the end of the […]
A Mouse Walks By, and the Three Cats Sleep
We have a mouse in our house! He’s fat, fast, and audacious. I mean, we have three cats. Three cats! My husband sets a live trap so we can catch the mouse and release him back to the woods. Come on cats! Help us get this mouse! Let’s move! No answer. Jack wakes up, looks […]
Meet Me at the Skating Pond: Some Old-Fashioned Things Remain
In a field by my house, the water has collected into a perfect skating pond. Children gather to skate and slide with nothing in their hands but sticks and snow. I remember when I was 11 years old–the same age as my oldest–and I, too, found a frozen pond deep in the woods. My friend […]
Singleness of Heart and Action
It all starts again next week. This time, I teach juniors and seniors. We begin with professional materials that include résumés, cover letters, and personal mission statements. I love personal mission statements for their particular simplicity; they state in a concise sentence or two what a person devotes themselves to in his or her field […]