{BOOK REVIEW} “Are you pursuing what’s safe… or what’s good?” This question is written in bold letters on the back cover of Hannah Anderson’s book All That’s Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment. At first, it seems a bit convoluted or technical. Safe? Good? Does it matter? As it turns out, if we’re talking… Continue reading Learning the Art of Discernment
She was a pleasant lady with few demands. Her body no longer functioned well but her mind was as sharp as ever. I enjoyed Dora’s quiet, accepting manner but her care intimidated me. A stroke had left her trapped in a mostly paralyzed body which required a mechanical lift to move from chair to bed. I… Continue reading One of the Most Important Life Lessons I Learned as a Nurse Aide
Many of us are facing an unusually quiet Christmas this year, with many (if not all) social events and travel plans canceled or postponed. For us, the Christmas holidays look like they’re shaping up to be a cozy at-home time. Instead of thinking about all we’re missing out on this year, I want to make… Continue reading Cozy-At-Home Christmas Inspiration
Sometimes gratitude comes easily. Sometimes it doesn’t. There are times I see the people and things I love and this great, bubbly feeling of ‘how-could-I-be-so-lucky’ springs up. The coloring sky behind the maple trees just beyond my kitchen window. My loud but happy family. And an iced pumpkin cookie sitting before me. Everything is perfect,… Continue reading #This One Thing: All I Need is a Snake Plant
“What has inspired you in the past, before you were a mother? Do these things still inspire you and, if so, would you like to add more of them into your life?” Occasionally, I enjoy picking a random writing prompt for an inspiration springboard. Here’s one I followed loosely. However, I haven’t yet pinpointed something… Continue reading What Inspired You In The Past? Does It Still?
Some nights after spending a gorgeous evening outside, I’m met squarely with a cluttered kitchen and dirty dishes. Like tonight. The temperature was that lovely just-between mix of summer day and fall evening. Kev rototilled. I puttered around the garden. Gleeful shouts and laughter floated from the trampoline’s direction. The wind died away, leaving a… Continue reading Are Clean Kitchens Overrated?
“Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits.” – Samuel Butler Shopping pencils and pens, sweaters and jeans. Making lunches and long car pool runs. Crisp sunny days, frost hanging on night air, Geese in the sky, combines in the fields. Fall is a cozy time… Continue reading What We Lose in Flowers, We Gain in Fruit: My Back-to-School Wish
“Nothing is worth more than this day,” my calendar shouts, quoting Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. “You cannot relive yesterday. Tomorrow is still beyond your reach.” I need the reminder. In a world of cares, it’s often necessary to open the blinds and draw back the curtains that hinder my sight. A typical day finds me… Continue reading Miracle or Common Occurrence?
Are you looking for super-simple ideas for your youngsters these days? Allow me to suggest throwing a Mom & Me Tea Party! It’s something fun I occasionally like to do with my littles; they love it. The best part is that you get a lot of mileage out of very little effort. Tea Parties are a great impromptu… Continue reading How to Throw A Mommy & Me Tea Party in Ten Minutes or Less
Spiritual friendship? What does that even mean? The book description of Becoming Gertrude: How Our Friendships Shape Our Faith by Janice Peterson said the author “uses the term spiritual friendship to capture this idea of journeying with others through life, sharing experiences and wisdom and seeking God together.” Curious, I read the book and found… Continue reading What is Spiritual Friendship?
Grace for Motherhood Overwhelm 