How do I begin to describe the past ten days? When you lose a loved one, everything about your normal life stops, even as the rest of the world keeps spinning around you.
On Thursday, April 10, my dear mother-in-law, Joyce, went to be with Jesus.
Read MoreWhat’s worse? Picking a paint color or choosing a subtitle?
I struggle with paint colors. But I’ve discovered that choosing a subtitle is worse by far. Who knew?
Read MoreLike daffodil and tulip bulbs that sleep quietly underground for a season, there’s a special project that I’ve been keeping under wraps. Unlike flower bulbs which pop up after a few months in hiding, this project—once just a dream—took root over six years ago. And it’s finally ready to bloom!
Read MoreEach person we encounter possesses a life and past we cannot see at first glance. They carry pain and sadness, worry and stress. Hopefully, they also carry love, joy, and some happiness. But how can we know? We can’t walk in their shoes.
Read MoreIt goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway): there’s much turmoil, change, and upheaval in our world these days. And it’s hard. I managed to distract myself with some sister time and a mother-daughter visit over the past week, but whenever I turned on the news, I was hit with harsh reality again.
Read MoreAfter a busy “hump day” at work, I hustle off to church with my family for one of the most somber days on the church calendar—Ash Wednesday. As if our never-ending Midwest winter isn’t depressing enough, the church summons us to a mid-week service reminding us of our mortality in ten words.
Read MoreI did something this week that I haven’t done in a long time. I spent the week as a total and complete homebody. For six days, I didn’t leave the house. Not even to get the mail. No, I wasn’t sick or laid up after hip surgery (like last year). I simply had nowhere to go.
Read MoreWe were all tired after the fireworks, so we returned to the hotel and were in bed by 1:00 a.m. We slept well, oblivious to the horror happening just blocks away.
When I woke the next morning, I reached for my phone, as I often do. I checked for texts, then opened my email and immediately saw a “breaking news” story from the New York Times that made me gasp.
Read MoreOn the final day of 2024, after a lazy morning, we sauntered out into the warmth of the Louisiana sunshine. In Jackson Square, we again took in the sounds of street musicians and the work of artists lining the square. First on the agenda: a beignet breakfast.
Read MoreWe bore witness to tragedy. We also bore witness to love and joy, security and celebration. As with all of life, the beautiful and the terrible coexist. Light and darkness blend at dawn and dusk. The sweetness of sugar and the bitterness of coffee together awaken our senses.
Read MorePour yourself your yuletide drink of choice, snuggle under your favorite comfy throw, and enjoy our annual “Christmas Letter”, a.k.a. Year in Review, which is to say: LOTS of photos and news you can’t use. (But I promise, no artificial intelligence.)
Read MoreIt was the night before the U.S. election, and I couldn’t sleep. My mind turned over the possible outcomes and scenarios to the point of exhaustion. Would my candidate win? What if they didn’t? Would the world as we know it fall apart? I prayed.
Read MoreGet yourself inspired by my 32-year project. Yes…32 years! That’s a LOT of setting aside, ignoring, wishing, thinking, planning, and dreaming.
If I could do it—if I could set a goal, learn a new skill, and make it happen—so can you!
Read MoreLooking back over this BookStack, I couldn’t help noticing the first three books I read were historical fiction, all with strong female characters at the center. I savored the history lessons and was reminded of the sacrifices our foremothers made, and of how far women’s voices have come. I’m thankful I live in a free America in 2024.
Read MoreIn mid-September, I flew to Treasure Island, Florida…Who could have imagined that eleven days after I flew home, Hurricane Helene's storm surge and winds would devastate Treasure Island? And then, nearly two weeks later, Milton would deliver a second blow to the area. The island I had briefly enjoyed was underwater and buried beneath sand and debris.
Read MoreOur summer cabin in Northern Minnesota has presented many unexpected challenges, most having to do with plumbing. But one challenge we didn’t foresee was finding a summer church home.
Read MoreThe podcast preview arrived in my inbox just hours after our conversation was recorded. Not wanting anyone else to hear how inarticulate I might be, I stuck my Airpods in my ears and hit Play. How would my voice sound? How many times had I fumbled? Would our conversation help anyone? Or would my rambling way with spoken words turn listeners away?
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