All the Ways You Adapt
This morning during class, I noticed I didn’t notice my mask. At all. It’s like I forgot I was wearing it. The experience made me so happy! In just a few days of teaching in a mask, it became normal. It became a regular part of teaching, just like how I hold the chalk in […]
Patience Rewarded
They do turn red!
What It Was Like To Teach In-Person at Penn State This Morning
I just returned from teaching in-person at Penn State. I teach two small sections of an honors advanced writing course. I was so nervous that it would feel wrong and disconnected and awkward. I was nervous it would feel unsafe. But guess what? Everyone felt safe. Everyone felt thankful to be present with one another. […]
Strong and Courageous
This morning I consider what we’re doing in life that requires strength and courage. I’m reading the book of Joshua, and again I’m struck by the three-time command to Joshua to “be strong and courageous” (1:6, 7, 9). It’s also curious to note how the Lord adds in “very courageous“ in verse 7. I wonder […]
Marvelous Things Beneath the Surface
I observe the largest turtle I think I’ve ever seen in nature. My husband thinks it’s a dark boulder in the water until it moves. We stand there, delighted and in awe. We stand there know that beneath the surface, marvelous things await.
A Whisper and a Hush
We don’t know who wrote Psalm 107, but we know it was someone most likely rejoicing as the Jews returned home after the exile in Babylon. I love the language, especially the way the writer describes God’s calming power. We read this in verses 28-31: Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them […]
Remember How Hard Your Brain Is Working
Today I remember that it’s OK to not have the same level of productivity as we all did pre-COVID. As the new semester begins, I find myself amazed that my To-Do list that would once have, at this point in the day, neat lines crossing out all those things I accomplished instead contains eight items […]
Some Encouragement from Psalm 97
I love the way Psalm 97 ends: For you, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise […]
2 Free Downloads for You: The Verb List and the Community Building Questions
Today I’ve decided to give you my two most requested documents of all time. First, enjoy my personally curated list of the best questions to ask to allow a group to get to know one another. My favorite question is this: What question do you like people to ask you about yourself? Second, enjoy this […]
A Little Reinventing
The Italian Mama tells me that it’s a time for reinventing yourself (again) when a child leaves for college. She told me this when I had both girls suddenly in elementary school, when I had girls in middle school, when they left for high school, and now when I have one in college. You just […]