Contemplative. If one word could define a person, this is me. My mom recalls my first grade teacher (also her first grade teacher) informing her that I routinely stared out the window of her classroom. She thought I was daydreaming, but when she asked a direct question of me, I promptly gave the correct response. …
There’s Time
Single digits in the countdown to Christmas for an adult means everything seems to move faster, but for a child, the days creep by at a sloth’s pace, same as ever. There’s no real hurry and twenty-four hours lasts just as long as it always does, there’s just that sense of urgency that presses in …
Dangerous Cravings
The palmetto trees swayed rhythmically as I watched down the street for the arrival of my children and grandchildren. Occasionally I glanced toward my phone to check the time and to make sure I hadn’t missed any messages. I switched on the Bible app to get ahead on some reading, knowing my time would be …
Transient
My grandson wanted to roast marshmallows over a campfire but we’ve been in a drought. My dad agreed to build the fire when we came to visit, and in God’s perfect timing, it rained the day before and the day of our visit. He added the wood to fuel the fire before we arrived. By …
Coming Home
Three highways become one main street through downtown, then veer off in different directions again across town. As a college student new to the area, my directional skills were a little sketchy. From the front of campus, I turned left and drove straight until I reached the interstate toward home. From the back entrance, a …
Moves and Countermoves
Two has arrived in full force for my daughter and her husband. Their son has discovered his voice and along with it, his autonomy. My husband looked across the table in the restaurant, saying, “Please don’t stand up in your chair. I don’t want you to fall.” His reply? In his sternest voice, “Poppy, don’t …
Who Else?
I am a firm believer that we all have so much to be thankful for every single day. Part of recognizing this is the daily practice of coming into God’s presence with gratitude in our hearts. Once you start saying thank You to God, you may find that your prayers grow longer. If you’re unconvinced, …
Shake Off The Dust
My least favorite job of the week falls on bath day for the Great Danes. No, I’m not responsible for the actual bathing. They outgrew me long ago. My husband has managed that task since our son married. My job is to wash their bedding. I hold my breath as I stand on the edge …
Foot In The Door
Nearly every Sunday for a decade, our younger son, the lone extrovert in a family of introverts, came into worship after Sunday school with one friend or another in tow, asking if he could come over after church. Has your friend asked his parents? No? Then we’ll make a plan for another time. End of …
Upside Down
All you can eat buffets must thrive along the coast year round because they’re on every corner. I’ve never been able to enjoy a meal with so many offerings because I fill up on the salad, and quantity over quality tends to prevail. Even after trying a small sampling of several items and desserts, I …
A Fitting Reply 