"But you think perhaps you can smell caramel wafting through the evening breeze, beneath the crisp scent of the autumn leaves. A subtle sweetness at the edges of the cold." (Erin Morgenstern) The windy shift from swimsuits to scarves is a happy one around here, and I don't want to miss a single sensation. The... Continue Reading →
As the iron bars thunder upward, you're deafened by the roar of the drunken crowd. Alcohol sloshes from their cups, greasy meat clinging to the corners of lips placing bets on which of your family members will die first. Music. Cheering. Heckling. Flirting. Time slows to a crawl, and you notice how Rome's breeze scratches... Continue Reading →
So you've sat with your mess for a while. The jumble of life (inward, outward, or both) has been bravely acknowledged. You've managed to draw close to Jesus in the middle of the chaos, and He assures you it has no power to define who you are. What a cool place to start untangling the... Continue Reading →
You know that season of life where everything falls into place? Where each responsibility is a personal joy and gets fulfilled with prompt excellence? The season that allows you to balance work and rest, and where both are equally satisfying? Where birds harmonize with your cheerful wake-up tune and laundry folds itself? Oh. It sounds... Continue Reading →
Dentist appointments. Eye exams. Annual physicals. Though not particularly fun, they are helpful. We're not talking anything earth-shattering or life-changing here; just routine evaluations to keep the body as healthy as possible. Many people don't think twice about prioritizing their physical well-being in scheduling these checkups (while I haven't been to a dentist in the... Continue Reading →
As soon as people witness my dance skills (read, "my inadvertent ability to impersonate an epileptic chicken"), they write me off as ye average white girl. And they are very, very right. So it surprises many that a significant portion of my childhood was spent on Kauai, a world whirling with island rhythm and swishing... Continue Reading →
Crows exult in the last fragile wisps of summer as a school bus rumbles by. Farmers' markets and county fairs burst into full bloom, leaves just beginning to ponder the virtues of the color yellow. Oh, I hope your heart is turning toward the sun these days. Soak in as much beauty as you can... Continue Reading →
There once was a foolish farmer who loved his wheat field so much that he refused to harvest it. Months after carefully planting, watering, tending, and praying, his wheat was golden, ready to bring into the barns and be put to good use. The farmer walked his field, discussing the upcoming harvest. "After I gather... Continue Reading →
"Say what you wanna say / And let the words fall out / Honestly I wanna see you be brave." (Sara Bareilles, 'Brave') You get a text asking if you're interested in taking on a big assignment. Or your old nemesis from high school (totally a thing) sends you a friend request. Or God confronts... Continue Reading →
(This post was originally published on the new LifeWay blog, Facts and Trends, on August 21, 2018. You can find it here.) Whoever wrote the song "Easy Like Sunday Morning" has never been a pastor. The struggle is real. My husband has been in ministry much too long for me to carry an ounce of... Continue Reading →
The Dwelling Place 