Boundary Lines
“The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance” (Ps. 16:6). Sometimes we don’t recognize a good thing until it knocks us – WHAM! – right off our feet! At least I don’t. Perhaps it’s because we can be slow learners. Perhaps it’s because we’re stubborn. My husband […]
SCARS
The other day, Allie and I had a deep discussion in the car. (We often have our DEEPEST talks while she’s strapped in with no chance of escape!) She was asking about scars. She’d been picking at a scab on her knee, and I was (for the one millionth time) telling her to STOP! “It’ll […]
R-E-P-A-I-D
Today my eldest child graduated from a “restricted” drivers license to an “unrestricted” one. I met him at the DMV to finalize the paperwork, and we left as we’d come — in separate vehicles. Me in my minivan, along with Jacob and Allie, and Ian in the truck — him turning right at the stop sign […]
Freedom!
“… let your light shine…” (Matthew 5:16). As the last light of day lingers in the summer sky, Allie likely does one of two things before being tucked away to dream. Either she goes on a toad hunt — looking under and around all the possible hiding spots where “Sarah,” “Phoebe,” or “Chelsea” might be singing […]
Happy Birthday, Kristie!
“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, and who have been called according to His purposes” (Romans 8:28). The photo was tucked into a book, and unexpectedly, Allie discovered it. “Who’s this?” she asked, holding the photo up for me to see. For a moment, I […]
Good Will
“Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground” (Theodore Roosevelt). Ian came home today, after running a few errands, with a bag of flannel shirts and a story. Now, it’s my personal opinion that parents have done something right when they have taught a child to dream BIG, and yet, live […]
Heart-On Collision
Sixteen years ago today, I was involved in a 3-way collision. I woke up tired but joy-filled — having slept (very little) next to our new baby girl, Devon Mara-Leigh. Though I’d not delivered her into this world, Baptist Hospital in Columbia, SC treated me, the adoptive momma, as though I had — giving us […]
Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby
I haven’t seen her face since she was one day old, though I’ve thought of it often — wondering what she would look like. Would her smile be crooked? Would her eyes squint up like little half-moons when she laughs? Does she laugh in Heaven? I think she does. Today’s her birthday — Sweet 16. […]
Making Paneer Cheese
At the Mother Earth News Fair a couple weeks ago, I took a class on cheese making. The teacher, Gianaclis Caldwell (renowned author of The Small Scale Dairy and other books), made this once-intimidating process seem quite easy. So, Bill and I decided to give it a try! First, we heated a shallow pan of […]