“I don’t know how you do it,” folks often said with a shake of their head. They were referring to my son’s deployment to Fallujah with the USMC during the height of the Iraq War. The days were easier because I was busy teaching school. I talked and laughed with friends and students, and life felt normal. But the nights ... read more
blog
People Do Not Cross Our Paths By Accident
“Excuse me, ma’am? I wonder if you could help me,” she said softly. On my way to the checkout line with a few grocery items, I stopped and turned to the young woman, expecting a request for help in locating an elusive item needed for a new dish she was making for dinner. “I need formula for my baby,” she said. A ... read more
Guest Post: LITTLE RED (by Ellen Rose Beason)
“Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone” (Ps. 71:9). Meet “Little Red.” She’s not really red anymore. She’s more of a brownish, rusty color. She came to live on our farm in the 70s. My dad bought her from a logging operation, and she had been used and abused. He thought she’d ... read more
Holy is His Name
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him unpunished who takes his name in vain,” (Exodus 20:7 (ESV)). God’s third commandment tells us not to take God’s name in vain. Most of us understand this means not using the Lord’s name as a swear word. But it’s more than that. ... read more
Only God Can Make a Tree
“The word I picked was God,” B. said quietly. “I apologize if this offends anyone.” It was the second week of the semester in my beginning composition class when the former high school football captain and current ROTC student volunteered to read his writing. But it wasn’t merely a matter of reading: B. bared his soul to a ... read more
Tending Our Spiritual Garden
I like flowers growing in my yard, but I’m an average gardener at best. However, when I decided to put my condo on the market, I became more than a dabbler in flowers because I wanted to improve my home’s curb appeal. I researched and shopped. I planted. I watered. I fed. I deadheaded. I weeded. And I kept after it ... read more
GOOD NEWS MAGAZINE
“Following Our Spiritual Light” is a devotion appearing in Good News Christian Magazine July 2019. ... read more
How to Avoid the Fear of Missing Out
FOMO, the acronym for a current cultural trend, made its way into the Oxford Dictionary in 2013. Origin: Early 21st century abbreviation of fear of missing out. Anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on social ... read more
Five Tips to Inspire Your Writing
Along with the warmer days of spring come wonderful writing conferences. And like springtime, they inspire, teach, and renew the writer in us. I’m still processing a load of new learning, and it’ll be months before I implement much of it. But I did walk away with a handful of conference tips and advice I put to use ... read more
How to Reclaim the Joy Jesus Intends For Us
Joy is a response to God's gifts and to who we are in Him "Wanna come fishing with us, Grami?" asked my grandson, Deacon, as I sat on the veranda enjoying my book, coffee, and the cool morning quiet of the surrounding mountains. He was up early. I'm not a fan of fishing, but I am a fan of my grandkids. Laying aside my ... read more
