I’m 44. To some of you, that may sound like a relatively young woman. To others, that may sound old. I’m in a middle place but the grays are here, I’ve had my first hot flash, and sometimes I groan when I have to roll out of bed. I’m not quite ‘old,’ perhaps, but I’m…
Amongst the embroidery and cut glass and old craft projects and photos of the dead and the long-dead, the pain comes. Embedded in these roads and walls are the pain of loss and error. Failures flood the mind, and while the heart leaps at seeing our beloveds, the leaps share dance steps with lurches. Joy…
God calls His people “sheep,” and calls our spiritual leaders “shepherds.” But spiritually-abusive pastors harm God’s people, and make us fearful of the very people (shepherds) and the very place (church) that we need in order to be healthy, growing sheep. After being harmed by wolves-in-shepherds clothing, it is difficult to come to a place…
So. The first time I went camping, I decided we’d do it with 7 kids in tow. Ages: 13 to 6 months. Yup. To those of you who aren’t campers, that probably sounds CRAY-ZEE. To those of you who are adept at camping, you’re probably all googley-eyed and thrilled at the mere sound of it. It…
Last fall, I unexpectedly encountered someone I haven’t seen in decades. Mercifully, it was in a crowded setting where we did not have to interact, and I don’t think he ever saw me. I didn’t even recognize him at first. But when I was young and impressionable, that person-across-the-way deeply impacted my life through manipulative…
Yesterday, I bought five cabinets that I didn’t exactly “need.” I did that because they were on Facebook Marketplace for a mere $5 each, and I thought they would work in our shed. See, our shed has been, for 7 months, basically a big mess that we all kept trying to organize and reorganize– but…
Lately, tired, hopeless, Old Testament Naomi has been running around in my brain. For those of you who HAVEN’T had Naomi running around in your brain, here’s a brief run-down: We meet her in the Old Testament book of Ruth. Jewish woman, in the time of the judges (no kings, not much societal order) Because…
Plants make a home more welcoming, don’t you think? Lately, I’ve acquired so many plants that my daughter recently teased, “I think you’re becoming a full-on Plant Lady.“ But, come on! Antique store succulents… hanging pots for crazy cheap… certain plants just need to come cozy up our home, and THAT’S THAT. Today, after Doug…
One of the lures some Christian teachers use– especially women teachers– is the outward appearance of their lives. A generation ago, a baby-holding woman with stair step children beside her– girls in collared dresses and boys in slacks– graced the fronts of homeschooling magazines. Inside were articles about her life-changing daily schedule, plan for chores,…
Recently a friend shared about a stressful relationship– someone was texting her repeatedly, and she felt terror that she might misstep and make the relationship worse. My friend isn’t perfect, of course, so she was wanting to be wise and cautious in how she responded. Eventually, she was in tears, asking for input and prayer…