Disrespect comes in many forms. We’re big on manners in the south. Watch your tone! Don’t take that tone with me! Being called a smart mouth is never a compliment. Our words have a literal meaning but they can also be interpreted differently when spoken in jest or with an emotional tone. We can communicate …
Is Your Conscience Clear?
My daughter and I were venting when her husband rounded the corner. Had he heard what I’d just shared in confidence? I had spoken heatedly and from frustration rather than grace. I immediately regretted my words. I tasted them still on my tongue. It’s not the first time I’ve swallowed hard to choke down the …
Where is your Damascus?
The spring of my daughter’s wedding, she asked if we could ride the Virginia Creeper Trail together. We traveled to Damascus, the midpoint of the thirty-five mile trail, rented bikes and chartered a lift to the trailhead seventeen miles up in Whitetop. That first year was perfectly magical! We shared a quaint little room in …
You Owe Me
It gives me pleasure to serve and give to my children and grandchildren. The simple joy I receive is payment enough, but I receive their gratitude and a share of their time as well. Balancing the scales or creating a sense of obligation never crosses my mind. In fact, if anything, we each seek to …
Who Is Jesus?
My grandson will experience his first egg hunt this Easter Sunday. The younger cousins, the ones his mother used to hide eggs for, are making plans. At only eight months, it’s more for us than for him, but there’ll be plenty of pictures. The eggs will be “hidden” in plain sight for him to pick …
RSVP
Handwritten letters have almost entirely disappeared, having been replaced by electronic communication. Invitations, with the exception of weddings, are more than likely texted nowadays. RSVP, when attached to an invitation, once meant the host expected to hear from you. A meal and a place at the table were being reserved in your name at the …
