It’s Happening Whether or Not You Know It: The Update Walk
The youngest and I take a walk around the garden once a day now. We have to provide updates for the rest of the family. Miracles are happening, and we realize that they’ll go on without us whether or not we attend the show. So we must attend the show! The strawberries are coming along. […]
Making Time to Get Lost in Books (and Other Joys)
We find cozy places to read in our home so we can get lost inside of a book. Reading–as one of life’s greatest pleasures (at least for me)–allows new worlds and experiences to open for us, and I love encouraging it now that every family member can read. “Go to the bookshelf and find a […]
10 Things You Learn About Healing When You Raise a Wounded, One-Eyed Cat
A few nights ago, Jack starts pushing his nose against us and rubbing our legs with his face as we approach him. As a classic cat declaration of ownership, this behavior is Jack claiming we belong to him. It’s authoritative. It’s bold. It’s a way of leaving a territorial mark upon us. He never did […]
Are You So Offended?
Today, I remind myself and my family from Proverbs 12:16 that “fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult.” Likewise, in Proverbs 19:11, we learn that “it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.” My dear neighbor reminds me of these verses at just the right time this morning. She […]
A Happy Little Morning
The poppies have popped in my neighbor’s yard this morning. That’s right! They just sort of pop out in fireworks of color. How can we not smile? They simply burst forth; there’s no middle ground, no in-between state for a poppy. Poppies live vibrantly, dramatically, largely, colorfully, unapologetically, and beautifully. They bring us a happy […]
Praying Away the Thing You Should Welcome
I had just been lamenting the fact that ladybugs will most certainly bother me again this summer. It drives me crazy when they sneak in the windows and end up in my house. One year, the whole wall seemed covered with them. Another year, I spent each week vacuuming more dead ladybugs than you can […]
Listening to All Your Old Music
Driving with my husband and stuck in traffic, I pop all our old mix CD’s in the CD player. It’s a drive down memory lane. John Denver, Johnny Cash, various worship tunes from the turn of the century, too much Taylor Swift, obscure folk music, a children’s CD from VBS’s past, the Beach Boys. . […]
The Glorious Homemade Trellis
My husband calls a neighbor to help dig holes two-feet deep. He’d built my trellis for Mother’s Day and needed help putting it in the ground. The trellis for my climbing roses is officially in! Now, with this structure in place, the climbing roses might be planted, tended, and enjoyed for years to come. The […]
A Spiritual Lesson from My Compost Bin
I stick my hand into my compost pile to pull back a space to dump some more fruit peelings, coffee grinds, egg shells, and vegetables. It’s so hot in there under the leaves and grass that I actually pull my hand back in shock. (Aerobic bacteria that’s breaking down my bucket of offerings releases so […]
10 Tips to Revising a Story (and a Life)
I’ve been learning so much about fiction writing these day, so I thought I’d share various tips. If your story’s stuck, maybe try this: 1. Chop off the first 50 pages. Start here. 2. Start at the end. Then tell the story through a flashback. 3. Put characters in the middle of a crisis on […]