One of the sweet memories I have of my daddy was sitting beside him many years ago on a hand-made, hand-painted bench in our back yard. He made it out of scraps of wood from his wood pile and it has remained strong and steady for over 40 years. He built it with the skill […]
Five Valuable Lessons from My Favorite Squeaky Red Shoes
I was on a shoe mission, determined to find a pair of red flats. I spotted them down the aisle and picked up my speed to get there quickly. I envisioned everyone else in the shoe store spotting them at the same time and racing to get them before me. My heart skipped a beat […]
An Afternoon Life Lesson
Trish was in our After the Boxes Are Unpacked study many years ago, after she moved here from California to retire. We would see each other at church for a few years after that, then our paths didn’t cross again. As the years slipped by, Trish faithfully stayed in touch with our ministry and became a […]
A few of my favorite things and the memories they hold
It was pure joy to host a “Tea Party” recently for a dear friend and her guests. The food was prepared by a lovely English friend (thank goodness for that!), so I could focus on what I love best―getting the table ready with all the details and little things I love to do. I plan […]
5 Things to Remember When You Don’t Know What To Do Next
There have been seasons in my life when I absolutely did not know what to do next. I let fear of the unknown and confusion of the moment consume my thoughts. What about you? Have circumstances or a situation paralyzed your thinking, your discernment, your decisions, or your choices? When your life is overwhelming, hopes […]
New year, new calendar. Resist the temptation to copy and paste
Six ways to insert a fresh start With my inability to slow down time, each new year continues to emerge much too quickly in my life. My usual new year routine is to transfer annual dates and information from my old 8.5 x 11 month-at-a-glance calendar to my new, empty calendar – this year with […]
Waiting on God when it’s no fun
It’s hard to wait, isn’t it? Even when you have a strong faith. Even when you trust God. Even when you know and believe God’s promises. It’s just plain hard. I know, I’ve done my fair share of waiting over the years. I’ve waited on life or death situations, for physical and emotional healing, for […]
A chair, a raspberry scone, and words remembered
A southern brunch in the deep south–aahh, there’s nothing like it. Shrimp, sausage and grits with gravy, hot biscuits stuffed with country ham, egg casseroles with melted cheese on top, a fruit compote with whipped cream, homemade scones dripping with butter. my.oh.my. bring.it.on. I can smell the aroma and taste the goodness right now. The […]
Five hidden treasures from Daddy’s back yard
A friend was standing in my kitchen the other day, chatting away, when her eyes locked in on a picture hanging on the wall behind me. She walked past me and looked closely at the picture. “This is so lovely! I thought it was a painting at first glance.” She paused, then said, “What is […]
