We recently witnessed another one of life’s embarrassing and metaphorical moments. We were about to enter the restaurant where we were meeting friends for dinner. In front of us was a thoughtful husband sweetly holding the door open for his wife. She smiled and began to walk through. I think someone’s feet got in the […]
Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall,
You Don’t Own Me, Not at All!
July 29, 2013 By 31 Comments
Did you do your final check in the mirror today, making sure everything was just so? Did you find yourself murmuring that eternal question of comparison: Mirror, mirror on the wall. . . How about your heart? Did you remember to do a beauty check on that, too? That’s where we say beauty […]
Living in the In-Between
July 22, 2013 By 39 Comments
Last night we learned my nephew has a brain tumor. This morning I stand on my porch, birdsong welcoming the day as though nothing has changed, the whisper-soft breeze carrying muted sounds of distant lives. Such a dramatic change from last night, when booming thunder struck a match, setting off a brilliant lightning […]
How being wrecked by unemployment was a great thing
July 19, 2013 By 12 Comments
Jeff Goins wrote about getting wrecked, and doing something different, something uncomfortable, partly because we long to be part of a bigger story. While I never would have chosen unemployment as my ultimate Wrecked Moment—how about something easier and more of a conversation starter, like a stateside mission trip?—it was where the sum of […]
Being the Johnny Appleseed of Encouragement
July 1, 2013 By 18 Comments
When you encourage others, you are sowing for the future just as Johnny Appleseed did. Do you remember the legend? This folk hero wandered the west planting thousands and thousands of apple seeds. He knew some would take root and others would not, but that didn’t sway him from his purpose. Being an encourager is […]
Exclamation Mark Living
May 28, 2013 By 24 Comments
Did you realize she was missing? Have you gone looking for her, or did you assume it was a pointless search? I’ll let you in on a secret: She is closer than you realize. You know who I am talking about, don’t you? You. Specifically, your radiantly vivid, brilliant, technicolor, splendiforous self. She is waiting patiently […]
Take this leap and change your life!
May 20, 2013 By 28 Comments
You whip your car into a parking place, rushing again to get to work on time. As you come to a hard stop, your purse tumbles off the seat, its contents disappearing underneath the empty fast-food bags and other clutter on the floor. A strangled sigh of frustration escapes your lips, and tears prick at […]
Richly colored silver linings
May 13, 2013 By 9 Comments
Did you know sunny days are not your best friend for taking pictures? It is the cloudy and sometimes even rainy days that bring out the most amazingly saturated hues in the landscape. As a photographer I especially love this weather, as it makes my photos just POP with lush greens, brilliant blues, and deep reds. […]
Pay it forward by pouring it on
May 7, 2013 By 21 Comments
Did you ever play with binoculars as a kid? I did, and as I would sweep the rural landscape, I was always amazed at how big and close things became. However, turning the binocs around and looking through the opposite end was a real eye-opener as well. My focus became very small, and details […]
Fear, failure, and (almost) falling overboard:
7 Life lessons from a sailing mishap
April 29, 2013 By 33 Comments
Before I was married, one of the many young men I dated was a radio disk jockey. Just a word to the wise, moms: If your daughter wants to date a dj, just say NO. I was a dj, too, so I got to know many of them. Let’s just leave it that they are […]
