What breathes life into you? What offers an exhale of refreshing? Who do you breathe easier around? Here’s one of mine: Spring of 2022 brought the formation of a Book Club Society into my life. It’s been one of my very favorite parts of this year. Life-giving + breathing joy in + delight = a […]
Casting Your Character
“It’s ready!” the sweet barista sets the mug in front of me. Whip settles on the foam and caramel drizzle runs ribbons disappearing into the cinnamon latte depths. I express my gratitude, smile, reach toward the warm mug. I’m ready too. I lean in, toward the latte, toward conversation. Flickers from the gas fireplace combine with Christmas […]
The Three-Fold Gift of Waiting
The calendar days do have to creep. Agonizingly.They tick along as if they have all day, meandering, ambling, lethargic at best.I press my nose against windowglass, focus on the snowflakes falling in flutters. This was the part of anticipation I didn’t appreciate. It meant awaiting, abiding, attending.As a child, the culmination of Christmas couldn’t come quickly enough. […]
Makers Are Chance Takers
Scooping the dough from the bowl, my hands shape it into a ball, smoothing, rounding, rolling. Flour dust hovers as I sift it across the silicone pastry mat. I pat. Flatten the ball into a disc, reach for my french rolling pin. The rolling pin, made by artisans in India, sold by Mercy House, with […]
Lifeway Women’s Bible
I’m delighted to bring us another Bible giveaway! Isn’t it lovely? This yellow-gold made me so happy. It’s beautiful for Christmas, but feels like it encapsulates all the seasons! Bright daffodils in spring, sunshine yellow for summer’s heat, autumn-gold of brilliant leaves, and the gold of Christmas.The Lifeway Women’s Bible would make a meaningful Christmas […]
Explorer Bible For Kids
The second week of Advent is upon us. Sunshine beams happy out my window this afternoon. I listened to Annie F. Downs’ Advent podcast on my way to Bible study this morning. This second week focuses on peace and last week’s centers on hope. Thought-provoking and beautiful. Let’s look inside the Explorer Bible for kids!It […]
Standing Steady
The branches bob, nod, rustle. Snow lays in powdered blankets accentuating green needles. Pinecones poke their heads above this winter coat. The pines spread their graceful skirts along the snowy path. A squirrel scampers around the trunk and a quick flash of cardinal red appears above our heads. In winter landscape or summer bloom, evergreens […]
Cradling Togetherness
It beckons. Draws with magnetic pull. Urges togetherness. Lights twinkle soft and pink mixes together with gold, silver, cream, amber. We gather in the room. We bring books and knitting and hazelnut coffee laced with cream. Miss Jackie sits outside, ears perked, eyes peering in the window. We grin at her, sip coffee, gaze at […]
Walk to the Waiting Manger
With a scraping, a scuffling, a bit of entanglement my son wrestles my Christmas tree down the attic stairway ladder. The fir branches engulf him, teetering one way and another. They poke from the flimsy plastic enshrouding them. Thanking my son profusely for his grunt work, I begin circling our tree, straightening branches, fluffing fake […]
Bits and Pieces to Delight In {November}
Gazing around the circle, joy and delight tighten my throat and wrap warm right around me. Fifteen faces. Voices mingling. Eyes closed. Open palms. Raised hands. “Holy Spirit, You are welcome here. Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere. Your Glory Lord is what our hearts long for. To be overcome by Your Presence, […]
The Abide Bible
Oh, friends! I’m so delighted to bring you this beautiful Bible! The Abide Bible is lovely inside and out.Of course, we know the Word of God is lovely in itself alone.But I, for one, am grateful for all the Bibles and features available to us.We live in an amazing time!I have friends, real-life friends, I’ve […]
November and Gratitude and A Bible, A Book, and A Study Guide Giveaway
“Gratitude is at the center of a life of faith. It sounds too simple to be true, but isn’t that the sign of all deep truth: so simple we’re tempted to dismiss it, and so hard, it is exactly what God uses to change our hard lives.” ~ Ann Voskamp Comrades! November is gracing our […]
Bits and Pieces to Delight In {October}
“Please Aslan,” said Lucy “What do you call soon?”“I call all times soon,” said Aslan.” ~ C.S. Lewis, Voyage of the Dawn Treader “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, […]
Wherein I Muse About True Devotion
True devotion in relationships is extraordinary. Not of the nature which wants to cover up faults or uphold evil or fan the flames of falsity. Rather, that which is true and beautiful and genuine. Heart-sharing vulnerability. Coming with open hands, carrying not agenda. I read a story once about a little girl who was her […]
Remain Galadriel
“Ding!” the bell warned the approach of the end of the line. Tapping out a few more letters, she briskly sent the carriage skating back to begin again. The ivory keys glided under her fingers as her thoughts flew furiously. Her eyes scanned the page, running over the questions she’d typed. Who are we when […]
Bits and Pieces to Delight In {September}
“Being scared isn’t really that much different than being scarred.” I read it on Ann Voskamp’s blog. It’s true. I nod my head. Read further.Tears prick my eyelids and squeeze at the corners. Scared and scarred both carry trauma and pain. Truth is, it doesn’t even have to be big or deeper traumas. It shows […]