I work really hard to ensure my kids eat healthy foods. Okay, I try to ensure my kids eat healthy foods. Both of them have inherited their momma's sweet tooth, but the rule is they cannot have dessert until everything on their plate is eaten. Even their vegetables. No, especially their vegetables. The other night, … Continue reading Harry Potter and Green Beans
wellnesswednesday
The Sinful Exhaustion of My Heart
My ten year-old fights sleep. As an infant, he went down without so much as a peep. I rarely had to rock him, he never needed a pacifier, and, if he did cry, it was only because he needed a diaper change. Babysitters and friends would constantly gush, "You're so lucky! He sleeps so well!" … Continue reading The Sinful Exhaustion of My Heart
Peace in the Valley of Facebook
I have a love/hate relationship with social media. As a military spouse, I live far from my family, and most of my friends are scattered across the country. I love how social media allows me to still connect with them, stay engaged in their lives, and--let's be honest--share funny memes. As a writer, I love … Continue reading Peace in the Valley of Facebook
Waiting for Wizards
"A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."This sentence, uttered by Gandalf the Grey in Peter Jackson's film adaptation of The Fellowship of the Ring, comes as the famous wizard arrives in the Shire for Bilbo Baggins birthday party. Bilbo's nephew Frodo has seemingly been waiting hours … Continue reading Waiting for Wizards
Party Lines and Prayer Time
When I was younger and would complain about not being able to use the phone, my parents would remind me about their youth and "party lines." In a nut shell, their telephone line was connected to several other families' telephone lines. If you wanted to make a call, you often had to wait until one … Continue reading Party Lines and Prayer Time
Peace, Giants, and Facebook
There are several verses I keep taped up above my desk. "Life Psalms," I like to call them; little reminders of truth staring me in the face, even as I type these words. One of them is about identity: "My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is a mighty rock, my refuge." -Psalm … Continue reading Peace, Giants, and Facebook
Don’t Look Back
Ah, September. The air is growing crisp (well, as crisp as it gets in southern New Mexico). Children are heading back to school. Football stadiums are filling. Local restaurants are packed with friends and neighbors enjoying the fruits of fall. Except none of that is happening. Because it's 2020. The year that everything just...wasn't. And … Continue reading Don’t Look Back