Wonderstruck: The Brilliant Efficiency of a Walk in the Snow
I could have used my ancient elliptical trainer to log 30 minutes of exercise today, but the sun was shining and the temperatures have risen here in this Indiana valley, so I donned boots, gloves and parka, grabbed my camera and headed for the hills. Tramping down a barnyard drive, walking toward the rolling bean field, it dawned on me how...
When Parents Commit the Ultimate Act of Thievery
I read this story again -- really for the very first time -- and it sets me on my heels. “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” Genesis 22:2 That a father would willingly offer up his son’s life? That he would...
A Holy Fragrance: What Has Being with Jesus Done for You?
In the days when we were homeschooling our four boys here in the valley, we'd occasionally take a "field trip" with another homeschooling family. Sometimes our trip was just a visit to their house so the kids could play and we Moms could catch up on news or share time in the Word and in prayer. We'd arrive home and a fragrance would follow us...
When Staying “Frozen” Is Not An Option, Resolve to End Well
I read them all -- those resolutions, the intentions, everyone's "my word for the year" -- and I came away with.... ....nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada. The Christmas tree still twinkled from the corner and the warm glow of the holiday season continued to fill my home, but inside my heart, on the cusp of this new year, I was numb. Frozen. For a solid...
Five Truths That Survived the Christmas Flu, and One More Memory
A week ago, on a day I had packed to the brim with a doctor's appointment, some last-minute errands, a few house-cleaning chores and a Christmas meal to prepare, I came down with the flu. By the time my four adult sons, a daughter-in-law and a girlfriend arrived on Christmas eve from Chicago and Tennessee to celebrate with us, I was in bed....
Tell Me A Story: Man or Myth? The Real Reason for Christmas
Christmas is upon us! As I prepare for our four sons and daughter-in-law to come home for the holidays, I'm remembering a Christmas nearly 25 years ago, when my oldest son reminded his parents of the true "reason for the season". This post was actually a column published in our local newspaper a few years after the event and shared here again...
Tell Me A Story: Of Snow, Dolls, Tinsel and Chowder
I've invited a few friends to share some Christmas memories over the past several weeks. This one from my writing buddy and poetic mentor Shanda inclludes a bonus -- a wonderful family recipe. Enjoy! What I remember of Christmases of my childhood in Grand Rapids is snow, snow, snow. I remember my brothers shoveling a tunnel from the back door...
Tell Me A Story: Making New Traditions in a Season of Change
What I really wanted was a perfect Christmas. What I got was a test of my faith and determination. Looking back some 25 years, I realize that first Christmas I celebrated alone with my two sons was an important step into a future that wasn't part of my plan for us. My boys were very young and the changes in our family situation were still...
Tell Me A Story: Memories Born on a Frozen Pond
Sometimes the simplest joys are the most memorable. My friend Cindy Miller recalls with fondness a family tradition as part of our Christmas Memories series. Perhaps reading her story will conjure up your own favorite Christmas memory. Visiting my grandparent’s pond was what I looked forward to most at Christmas. My sisters and I always hoped...
On Tiny Changes and Small Beginnings
Words of wisdom for today: Change is a good thing. And yes -- you can teach an old dog new tricks! I want to be more intentional about how and what I share here with you, so I'm in the middle of a course led by writer and blogger Jeff Goins titled Intentional Blog. The biggest change I've made because of this course has been a new look and...