The house is quiet today but I am not alone. Ever faithful Jake, our Velcro Dane, haunts my steps, following me from room to room, even to the bathroom. He lumbers to the garage door as I fold laundry, pacing, hoping in vain for an early dinner. I take him out and he chases a …
Misled
My room was dark as midnight before seven. I fought sleep as I lounged across my bed, knees folded to hide the light from my phone screen while I read through my daily Bible reading plan. My four grandchildren slept soundly in their respective places as my daughter, in the adjoining room, brewed us decaf …
Shortsighted
“Timothy, would you like to help Lolly?” I invited. The others were caught up in their own game on a cluster of ride on toys on one side of the room. Timothy stood a little aside, sleepy and frustrated that he had not gotten to the zebra ride on first. In an instant, I was …
Exponentially
What do you get when you inflate one splash pad and add water and two hundred ball pit balls? Happy grandchildren!Thomas, Amelia, Timothy and Ezra enjoyed hours of fun-soaked outdoor play. At one point, Timothy lounged on the edge of the inflated surround mindlessly collecting balls he had been tossing out a moment earlier. When …
Good Night
Three of our four grandchildren were soundly asleep within minutes. Timothy fell asleep during prayers. We had read our Bible story and stood together under the projection of our new verse from Isaiah as it rotated on the ceiling above our heads. Before I darken the projector, I escort each child to his or her …
Daily Conversation
“Caroline Rebekah,” my iPhone announced. My daughter set up my cell to announce my calls so when I’m busy studying or writing or when I’m occupied with one of the children, reading a book or playing along with one of their elaborate imaginations, I can continue without interruption unless it’s someone special calling. When she …
Undeveloped Fruit
Many figs remain on the now barren branches of my fig trees but the fruit is no good. Either it never ripened or by the time it was ready, it tasted fermented. We were concerned when the harvest season began later than usual. During the first few weeks, we enjoyed gallons of delicious fruit, sharing …
Say I Love You
“You didn’t say I love you,” Amelia said, genuine concern in her voice and in her eyes. This was the second time she had chided me in front of her mom for failing to say I love you before ending a phone call. We were on the front porch for Amelia and Ezra to play …
Immediately
Thomas hurriedly ate his dinner and began what my daddy calls “chomping at the bit” before my husband had filled his plate or tasted his first bite. He’d been waiting all afternoon for Poppy to get home to take him fishing. Now he half paced, half bounded around the kitchen table, before announcing, “All right, …
I Look Like Jesus
Golf ran into dinner time which collided with bedtime. If you have toddlers in your life, you know those acid hours can turn ugly in a skinny minute. No amount of consoling or cajoling can interrupt the meltdown once it starts and forget sleep coming easily afterwards. My son messaged his wife saying he had …
A Fitting Reply 