Remember packing for camp when you were a kid? Me neither. My parents did the work of making sure I had all the necessities and usually one or both chaperoned so I did not have to look far if I needed anything. More than once, I shared my things with a friend who had done …
Gain Your Footing
Our home was established thirty-four years ago when my husband and I married. We have inhabited many different dwellings but as the old saying goes, home is where the heart is and my heart is forever bound up in God-ordained oneness with Paul’s. In fact, these words were clearly communicated in our marriage vows. ““But …
Hard Hearted
I asked Amelia to choose two apples from the crisper drawer. She wanted to help make apple cinnamon pancakes and she had already pulled her stool up to the kitchen counter. She turned to open the refrigerator and stopped. “Ezra can’t help,” she started. Then grinning slyly, she continued, “Tell me I’m gonna be last.” …
Don’t You Care?
“How is it Tuesday already?” I wondered, not for the first time. I am keenly aware that we all share the same twenty-four hour days rotating around the sun but some days and weeks, some seasons just feel different. Sometimes time seems to stand still and then it flies warp speed ahead. When sharing a …
Judge Yourselves
Amelia asked me to write about her and Thomas today. It’s easy to do. At three and four, they supply a rich treasure trove of material from Lolly’s perspective. I delight in seeing them grow and learn and I am grateful for the teachable moments afforded by their visits. I see Amelia watching intently as …
It’s Your Choice
“I was thinking I’d blacken some mahi for dinner,” I told my husband. I’d spent the morning with our son’s family while he played tournament golf with our son. I hadn’t realized that their lunch was provided and had been served after their round ended, only an hour or so earlier. He certainly wouldn’t want …
Pitfalls
When I have a chance to slip away to the beach with my family, we nail down the date and I begin to search for the perfect accommodations. Each time we rent, I am convinced that this will finally be the perfect fit. The only trouble is the grandchildren keep growing. None of them are …
Leveraging Today for Eternity
Ezra climbs up steps and onto furniture easily at nearly nine months but he needs a spotter. He doesn’t think twice about abruptly turning or plunking down regardless of what’s behind him. He’s very cautious cruising on level ground. He carefully squats until his bottom finds the floor, but today he pulled himself up onto …
Where Are You?
“Want to play hide and seek, Thomas?” asked Amelia as she propped her forehead on her hands against the stone column on the front porch. “Yes,” he answered, striding over to take her exact posture on the opposite side of the same column as she began to count. The moms and I looked at each …
Can I Trust You?
My life from age twelve asked, “Can I trust you?” I asked myself this of every human being I encountered, particularly males. Everyone became suspect, even God. I fear I am not alone in my questioning. You have been hurt, have you not? Your trust has been shaken by sickness, circumstance, or sin in the …
A Fitting Reply 