Tomorrow my husband and I will observe our 50th wedding anniversary. The day will be low-key—no cake, no balloons, no fanfare. That’s fine with us because we began our marriage with little extravagance. We went to our church chapel, invited the pastor to attend us, and added our matron of honor and best man as…
Do you remember the Facebook challenge where one woman would nominate another to post a photo of herself devoid of makeup and hairstyling? The purpose of this exercise, if I understand it, was to celebrate the natural beauty of all women and to recognize that what’s on the inside is what makes a woman truly…
In Michigan this year, it’s forgotten how to winter. So on yet another unseasonably warm day I spent some time cleaning up the yard. Flowers don’t have buds yet and the grass is still half yellow, but guess what is flourishing in all it’s glory? A WEED! Of course. Aren’t they a beautiful joy? Looking…
January 16th marked the ten-year anniversary of losing my son Josh, my middle child, three weeks before his 24th birthday. He would have been 34 this year in February. How do I cope with the loss? I focus on the blessings the Lord has given me that I still have: my other son, my daughter,…
Have you ever felt “not ready” for a situation? Today, Kristen Hogrefe Parnell shares from her son’s birth story and how she’s learned to trust God when she doesn’t feel “ready.”
Like many, our income dipped this year, so we were careful and sparing with gifts. At least with physical gifts. Yet this Christmas was peaceful, pleasant, and a time of sweet memory-making.
First bath. First smile. First laugh. As a new mom, I celebrate all my baby boy’s firsts. First Christmas? Time for a trip to Hobby Lobby to get him a stocking! But the truth is, firsts can be hard too. First boo-boo. First break-up. First accident. The challenge with firsts is that depending on our…
Giving Myself Over [Henry O. Arnold]
If I as a writer am to tell a story, I must give myself over to its peculiar flow. As the power of the story begins to rise up within me, I must sit down and write. I yield. I isolate. I watch and listen. I resist the temptation to manipulate, and I allow the…
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