It Never Gets Old
The new semester begins, and I enter the room to greet a fresh group of students. The magnificent people sitting there fill me with wonder each and every time. What a privilege to meet them! What a sacred vocation to teach! It never gets old. They take out pen and paper and write. It starts […]
Things I Must Admit
Today, as I put the house back in order from the holidays, I turn up the radio and belt out the song with my horribly out-of-tune voice. It’s a country song. It’s Carrie Underwood. My husband comes into the kitchen, and I confess, “Honey, I’m sorry, I’m back to country music. I just love it, […]
Under Occlusion
Right about this time of year, my hands inevitably crack and bleed. The knuckles, red and leathery, reveal winter fissures that make me wince. Nearly every part of my skin, if not already chapped, is vulnerable to the bitter cold winter air. And right about this time of year, I wear gloves everywhere. I even […]
A Way to Conquer the Morning (Besides Coffee)
This morning, I wake up so sluggish and crabby that I just can’t imagine walking to school with the children. As I slump out the door, scowling and overwhelmed, I feel my camera in my coat pocket. At least it’s a sunny morning. Maybe I’ll document this grueling walk. Woods in the Morning I look […]
Finding the Right Vein
I’m sitting in the doctor’s office, and the nurse enters to draw my blood to check my thyroid. She’s been practicing phlebotomy for over 10 years (I never knew the name for it!). A skilled phlebotomist, she tells me, trains one finger to locate the perfect vein. “How do you find it?” I ask. Venipuncture–the […]
I Can’t Tell You
I’m eating dinner with my six year old, and she announces that she has the world’s best math teacher. For a little girl who has struggled in school, her report amazes me. “She doesn’t tell us the answer, Mom. She lets us learn. Do you know the difference between telling and learning?” I feel the […]
Scratch Life Anywhere
This morning, I read the quote, “Scratch life anywhere, and you find a witness to the Way.” It’s E. Stanley Jones again, talking about how life always bears witness to Jesus. I stop and ponder. Hasn’t it been true as I’ve scratched the day, looking for evidence of Something Beautiful, that God’s principles appear in […]
Hide the Things You Don’t Like Inside the Things You Do: A Resolution for 2012
I’m starting to think that flaxseed can solve many problems. We’ve decided to use a few teaspoons a day in things like smoothies, sauces, and even mashed potatoes. Nobody knows the difference, but I promise that everything works more smoothly with flaxseed around. Maybe it’s the fiber, or maybe it’s the omega 3’s or the […]
The Return of the Hamburger Cupcakes
I ask my daughter what birthday treat she wants for her classroom, and she reports, “Everybody wants the Hamburger Cupcakes!” I realize now that I’m most known, not for novels, speeches, or books on writing, but for things like Boo Platters, wooden fences, and Green Apple Cupcakes. And Turkey Vegetable Platters. And acorn flour. And […]
Under New Management
I’m driving home from North Carolina, and I see an old restaurant with a dangling sign, half-lit. It says, “Come In! We’re Under New Management!” Something about that sign grips me and won’t let me go. It’s hope. I know it like I know my own hands typing on this keyboard. The broken-down restaurant gets […]