It is a Saturday, and a rare one when there are no appointments on the calendar. This allowed us to leave the alarms unset for the morning. Yet, I woke before the dawn. My heart is heavy, causing sleep to elude me. I am hurting for someone close to me, not sure how to help….
In The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society book, the main character, Juliet, rides a bus through the streets of London in the aftermath of World War II. Recognizing evidence of efforts to restore order and normalcy, she makes this observation: The sun is out for the first time in months, and if I…
It is January, the beginning of a new year, and a typical time for consideration of good intentions. For many, January is also a time to begin new devotional or Bible reading plans. Although there are many wonderful plans available for reading through the Bible in a year, or even just a portion of it,…
Have you ever been through a traumatic experience? Trauma arrives as unexpectedly as a violent storm. It can wreak havoc on your life, creating disorientation, uncertainty, and doubt. Appearing without warning, and consequently, without preparation for how to navigate, it is not uncommon to overlook or ignore basic, even obvious, needs. Several years ago, I…
The purpose of this blog is to help myself and others grow in their pursuit of things that are lovely, good, and beautiful. I decided some time ago that this would be helpful to me as I attempt to follow Proverbs 4:23 in guarding my heart. If I want what flows from my heart to be…
Years ago, while still a young bride, I often made my own dresses, curtains, etc. to help save money in college. Back then, it was actually more affordable to buy a pattern, cloth, thread, etc. and to put in the work required than it is today. During this time, a friend complimented me on a…
I have a problem. My problem is that I have high standards. So high that I become stagnant. I compare my not-even-started project with someone else’s highly successful completed work, and I give up before I begin. But today I read something that makes me realize the fruitlessness of this attitude. I clicked on a…
Yesterday was my birthday. The older I am, the more reflective I become at milestones such as anniversaries and birthdays. The closer I get to 50 (still in the future but looming ever nearer), the more I seem to wrestle with life choices: what do I really want to do with my life, how do…
On a week when I was feeling a little miffed about some changes in monetary obligations in the approaching new year, with upcoming increases in a house payment and insurance premium, an air conditioner going out in a vehicle (in a state that still gets hot enough to require it, even in December), and a…