The Day of Small Things
This morning I read in Zechariah 4:10 the question, “Who dares despise the day of small things?” It serves as a warning and admonition to not despise or even worry about what seem like small things. I always smile because I know the Savior born as tiny baby seemed like small thing. God was helping […]
Let’s Go Find Something New Together.
In one of the assignments for our storytelling unit, students compose an I am From poem based loosely on George Ella Lyon’s “Where I’m From”. We includes a fun line that I cannot wait to read. You record the phrases you heard most as a child in your home. I love reading these. I laugh […]
“Snowflakes the Size of Hamsters”
This morning, the fluffiest snowflakes fell in Central Pennsylvania. My husband said, “We have snowflakes the size of hamsters.” I smiled about that all morning. I felt delighted by the image and the joy of novel comparisons. And I shall forever see fluffy, fat hamsters falling from the winter sky!
Treats Along the Way
Today I reminded my daughter that she’s not yet arrived at certain destinations she’s hoping for. It’s a time of patience, of transition to the next thing, and of redefining oneself. I think that young adulthood carries with it so much longing and possibility just over the horizon that you sometimes find yourself in a […]
How to Handle Jealousy and Comparison During College Acceptance and Scholarship Season
I thought my great maturity would take over when I heard that a friend’s daughter had full scholarships to two different schools and more on the way. We had just heard the news of rejection about a scholarship in our own family. The burning sting of jealousy rose in my chest as I thought about […]
Some New Things to Try in the Kitchen
I love trying new recipes. It’s a joyful, creative moment away from my regular work of the day. I recently tried these Three Ingredient Cookies (banana, oats, and chocolate chips). They work so well with ripe bananas. I didn’t think I would like these, but I did! And my daughter loves them. I also tried […]
Not Everything
This morning I realized that not everything requires (or should have) your full attention or resources. The older I grow, the more I realize which tasks require everything and which ones don’t need 100%. It’s a vital skill when you must conserve energy. Maybe it’s a day when you don’t give everything you are to […]
When the Party Is Just You
For the first time in decades, we decide not to host a Super Bowl party for various reasons including travel schedules and illnesses. Instead of frosting cakes, making appetizers, and preparing viewing locations all weekend, I stay in bed while one daughter makes the Buffalo Chicken Dip for just our family. We traditionally provide fried […]
All Day Rest
With a full-blown head cold, I wake up only to go back to bed all day. Tissues, tea, and watching shows all day occurs maybe once every few years. I consider the art form of rest and recuperation. You must completely surrender to healing. You must abandon all chores. You must wallow and languish and […]
When Sick, Go Look at Trees
My landscape architecture student reminded me of a famous study in 1984 published in Science that examined the recovery times of patients in a Pennsylvania hospital. Half the patients were in recovery rooms where they looked at a wall, and the other half had views of trees. I loved reading the results of this study. […]