A Quote I Love on Writing
I receive a newsletter from author James Clear with great advice. He shares this gem from writer Jorge Luis Borges on transforming every experience into a resource: “A writer — and, I believe, generally all persons — must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource. All things have been given to us […]
My Friend Sent Me This and I Laughed All Afternoon
Learning New Things
When you take the embarrassment away, you can actually learn so many new things. Don’t worry if you don’t understand something. You can learn! You can really learn! I’m learning to fight any fear or shame if I don’t know something because it’s so much fun to learn. Who cares that you don’t know everything? […]
It’s Called “Puddling”
Today I learn that when butterflies gather together in a pile on the ground like this, it’s called “puddling.” It’s a puddle of butterflies! I love it. They do this because they have found a mineral rich area. They sit to absorb the salt and other nutrients they need. I love learning new verbs!
Another Beautiful Biblical Verb
This morning, I note the verb “prepared” in 1 Corinthians 2:9. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— It’s so wonderful to consider God’s work of preparation for us. We cannot even fathom the blessing of […]
Another Joyful Practice
Besides writing this summer, consider the practice of close observation, especially through photography. You can try a picture a day. I often think about A.R. Ammons (my favorite poet) and his famous quote: “Anything looked at closely becomes wonderful.” Back in the early days of Live with Flair, I found so much delight in taking […]
Summer Writing Dreams
As you know, I love encouraging writers. As June 1st approaches, I wondered if you had a writing dream in your heart for the summer. What if you wrote a novel or a devotional book? What if you wrote an article for a magazine? What if you wrote down some of your favorite memories or […]
The Garden So Far
Normally in Pennsylvania, you’d want to plant your garden at the very end of May; I planted too soon because I started my seedlings too soon. This means I had to protect the plants from frost by covering them at night. My tomatoes are “leggy,” but my beans, chives, and cilantro all look great. Cilantro […]
The Way of Nature
Something ate our baby robins! Most likely, a big crow feasted on them. We stand there by the nest, so saddened. We wonder if the mother is sad. Does she mourn? What does she do now? We realize it’s the way of nature; sometimes, this happens. The birds shall build another nest in another location […]
Protect the Fledglings!
It’s almost time for my sparrows (and that one cowbird) to fledge. I love the verb “fledge.” It means to leave the nest. Any day now! It’s both an exciting and terrifying moment. Think of the vulnerability. Think of the danger. The baby birds will hop around a bit, test out their wings, and hop […]