Looking right at me, she said, “Would you mind speaking at our next meeting?” I inhaled sharply. There was no way she could know about the tongue-tied, sweaty ball of nerves I became when speaking in front of an audience. It hadn’t always been this way. In school,...
“What in the world?” I said to myself as a careless, judgmental thought crossed my mind. It wasn’t just a one-time reaction - it had become a pattern I was slowly beginning to recognize. Sarcastic and cynical jabs toward people and situations were creeping into my...
The leaves are changing, and the days are cooler here in Virginia. As I pause to breathe and reflect on the last few weeks, I am so very grateful for all God's goodness, and equally exhausted because the days have been filled with busyness and unexpected challenges. I'm...
Old egg cartons, an empty box, and a teal trash can clutter the floor of my kitchen. My son sits in the midst of the pile of trash imagining the transformation possibilities. In less than an hour, he converts the pile of waste into a...
Driving through my neighborhood, I’m always a little surprised at how early the fascination with the creepy and macabre begins. Reapers, witches, graveyards, and ten-foot skeletons pop up in yards long before the leaves even start to change. I understand that many people enjoy decorating for...
“Sweetheart, I need you to talk to me.” My husband requests as he stares out the window at the dark road before him. Out of words and ready to rest, I reply, “What do you want me to say?” “Anything! I need you to keep me awake,”...
My whole body held the low hum of panic while my mind raced. Stomach in knots, I was running out of time. A difficult conversation was imminent, and I had no idea what to say or how it would go. Father, calm my heart. Only you...
“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...
“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...