We were done with elementary-school trends. Oh, we had given in to the silly-band hysteria, the Rainbow-Loom craze, and the Shopkins madness. And finally, my husband and I had said, “Enough.” So when thinking putty emerged as the next big trend among elementary-aged kids, we weren’t having it. Our daughter Kendall’s toy bins were overflowing […]
Wanting the miracle, missing the more
I grew up in the country. We watched the sun set while playing a family game of softball in the front yard as Mom cooked dinner. We spent most of our time roaming around our family’s land in our bare feet. The bottoms of our feet were so calloused during the summer that we could […]
When you’re tired of surprises
Growing up, I looked forward to Sundays with all of my young heart. Mornings were for church, and afternoons were for hanging out with my bestie, Deborah. We alternated between going to her house after church or mine. On this particular Sunday, it was my turn to host, and Deborah and I changed out of […]
Life’s Little Stowaways
She caught our eyes the moment we stepped into the craft store. My daughter grabbed her from amongst all the others who looked just like her – or mostly like her. They were all stuffed bunnies. Some were white, some were gray, and some were brown. They all had pink noses, black eyes, a baby […]
In the valley of unknowns
The lingering scent of eggs in the morning, fragrant bacon-capers-and-feta tortillas for lunch, a dish including sautéed garlic and steamed broccoli for dinner. And don’t forget the burned popcorn for an afternoon snack! One of the more unexpected consequences of this past year of work-at-home, school-at-home has – for our little family of three, at […]
How to be both genuine and joyful
I grew up singing songs about rejoicing in the Lord always (and again I say, “rejoice!” – often in rounds) and the joy of the Lord being my strength (He fills my soul with laughter – ha, ha, ha . . . ha, ha). As children of the Lord, we were admonished to have the […]
Releasing the temporary
I still remember the excitement I felt when I saw the newborn baby doll advertised in the paper. It was so beautiful, and I knew I just had to have one of my very own. So I did odd jobs around the house, saved up my pennies; and before long, I was filling out the […]
The little quads that could: a lesson in compassion
The story has been told many times in many ways by many great storytellers, and we all know it well. A little railroad engine meant for pulling cars on and off the switches agrees to take on a monumental task, one far too great for its capabilities. But this little engine is determined to complete […]
And all I heard was noise
When I was learning to drive, I had a driving teacher with a very dry sense of humor. He had a handful of favorite sayings, along with a very distinctive way of saying them. One of them was, “Check your mirrors. See the big picture.” He always had a pen in hand, with which he […]
Reconciling today with the good old days
I always look back on my college days as perpetually fall – just the beauty of the leaves changing colors, the temperatures cool, the hope and excitement of the fall season, as well as the season of life that college was for me. I remember the midnight giggles with my roommate and all of the […]
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