“I’ll Do the Hoping For You.”
Yesterday, I text the Local Artist to tell her that a literary agent called to offer representation for my novels. Finally! After all these years! After a decade of “we don’t want this” and “no” and “we’ll pass on this.” The Amazing Agent doesn’t just want one of my novels; he’s interested in a whole […]
Evidence That It’s Working
Every time I buy a new pair of running shoes (I’m not a runner), I begin to think that maybe I could start running–very, very slowly–on a treadmill at the gym. I’m not a runner. I decide, though, that maybe a little jog would be a good thing to help me shed some pounds and […]
“They Received More Than They Knew to Want”
I’m listening online to Paige Benton Brown give a talk at a women’s conference. I remember her from 1998 (back when she spoke at Camp Greystone to a group of us counselors). She always knew how to make the Bible come alive and apply it in ways I so desperately needed as a young woman. […]
You Just Can’t Know
On our journey home from visiting family, we stop at a restaurant for a late dinner. Our waitress, an older woman with silver hair, might have been tired from her shift or just angry that yet another family with young children has come to her section. Whatever the reason, she seems impatient, frustrated, and just […]
2 New Things I’m Learning
I’m learning–at this older age, finally–two things that actually begin to redefine how I live my life. 1. I can’t make people happy, and it’s wise to stop trying all the time. Folks are responsible for their own moods and their own issues. 2. It doesn’t matter whether or not people like me, so it’s wise […]
Shame, Darkness, Secrecy, Fear
Late last night, my husband and I listen to the remarks following Sandusky’s guilty verdict. I’m not as happy as I thought I’d be. I’m not as relieved as I thought I’d be. I find myself in anguish over what this trial reveals about a culture of shame, darkness, secrecy, and fear. There’s hope today, […]
When You Find Yourself in Deep Waters
We drive to the beach to let our children see the ocean. Watching the sea creates that moment of awe I want them to experience; that sublime encounter when nature overpowers their imagination ushers in worship and joy. Behold the great ocean! We splash in the waves, dig in the sand, and collect shells. My […]
The Thing You Want to Write
A few days ago, I saw a real, live blueberry farmer. I met him last year, too. Old and wrinkled–maybe 85 years old–with a straw hat and a wise expression, this man has lived out his days on his expansive blueberry farm. He wears a brown work shirt, jeans, and sturdy boots. I can’t stop […]
The Where and the What Matter Less and Less
I finish a paragraph by Margaret Silf and realize how much I believe it. She writes, “There is nothing on earth that doesn’t reveal some fragment of the reality of its maker, nor any moment that I live that doesn’t hold God concealed within it. Sometimes this is obvious, as in a beautiful sunset. Sometimes […]
A Baby Turtle Today
By accident, I happen to glance down and see a baby turtle swimming in the water today. As small as a silver dollar and as quick as a minnow, the turtle shimmers in the water. I’m immediately transported to my childhood days on the banks of the Potomac River. I’d see those little turtle heads […]