Do you feel like cleaning?

The weather had been gorgeous for the past week. After a long winter where the remnants of an ice storm lingered for weeks, spring temperatures had finally arrived, and I could not wait to sit on the porch and enjoy the warmer air. But just as...

What if you aren’t feeling it?

Yesterday’s motivation and energy stared back at me from the long list of ideas sitting on my table. I had worked late into the evening the night before. And with each completed task, I added another—writing them down so I wouldn’t forget by morning. But when morning...

What are you cultivating?

I have one cool plant in my yard - a lilac bush planted by a previous owner. Each spring, fragrant pale purple flowers bloom, filling the air with their beautiful scent. I adore this plant.  For the past few years, it has faithfully blossomed. I’ve clipped blooms...

The Story Behind the Story

Today we wanted to take a minute and tell you why we share stories. Life is a collection of stories. The ones we live. The ones we wish were ours. The ones we escape into for entertainment. The ones that others tell us we should embrace. The ones we tell...

What’s Beneath the Surface?

“Dig a little deeper. You’re almost there.” My oldest son encouraged his younger brother. The boys sat across from each other on the bank of the river. Each brother had his arm elbow-deep in the sand. “We did it!” shouted my youngest son as he grabbed his brother’s...

How do you define the relationship?

“I don’t not like him,” my husband said. This double negative is my husband’s new favorite way to say that he's unsure whether he likes someone. According to my husband, this category is reserved for someone who he has no reason to dislike, but he's not willing to admit...

Dig Deeper Into Your Word of the Year

Freshly fallen snow covered the ground outside my window. God had provided a beautiful white canvas to start the day.  I had woken up early with an idea - had my imagination run wild, or had God given me the spark of something new? After grabbing a cup...

What needs to be pruned?

Taking the dog for a walk is part of my daily routine. Along our familiar route, a densely wooded property has been cleared and a new home is under construction. Where tall trees used to stand, new growth of small plants, previously unseen, now flourish...

Uncomfortable Celebrations

“Where did the time go?” I think to myself. Staring at my daughter dressed in her graduation gown, my heart simultaneously holding the joy of pride and the pain of letting her go. “I miss you, mom,” marks the pages of my tear-stained journal this morning....