I had a brief, socially distanced conversation with a friend the other day that I can’t stop thinking about. The conversation was great, blessed socialization, until the end. Her closing comment, delivered in her best one-liner voice, was, “Well, since you don’t drink, I’m drinking enough for the both of us these days…” Haha. The Read More
Rising waters, spreading flames
When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; The flames will not consume you. Isaiah 43: 2 The rivers of difficulty are rising as the wildfire that Read More
Expectations and the Guest of Honor
This year, I am greeting the holiday season with an “It is what it is,” mindset. I’ve wrestled with the habit of expectations for awhile now. Through my sobriety, I feel like God is teaching me to lay down my expectations and just be present. With COVID-19 and all the baggage it brings, I think Read More
Blessings and Blemishes
My middle son and I were in the dentist’s waiting room so he could get sealants put on his teeth. I stared down at my swollen knee, still sore from my surgery last week. We don’t often sit together and talk and I was listening to him lament the phenomenon of “maskne,” or blemishes on Read More
I Don’t Wear Labels
When I was in high school, I loved the clothing store The Limited. I spent hours with my friend, trying on sweaters and jeans. She was a shopoholic and had more money than me, so she often came away from our trips with bags stuffed full of the latest line. I remember one fall the Read More
Joy in the Dark
“Things are getting heavy…and yet, I think I see the light.” Me It’s raining on this Friday the 13th. This morning I went to the lab to have bloodwork done for my knee surgery next week. Outside, the clouds, heavy with condensation, mimicked the heaviness of my heart. Businesses are closing again in our area. Read More
Promises, Perspective and Light
In times such as these, it is helpful to: Remember that nothing is promised. Put things in perspective. Be the light. No, this isn’t a cliche contest. I am not here to impress you with my lack of original thought. Rather, I aim to pull strands of wisdom out of time-honored, though well-worn phrases. In Read More
Want to or Have to?: Willpower vs. Intrinsic Motivation
A decadent chocolate dessert. A generous pour of chilled Chardonnay. An enticing display of the new fall line in your favorite storefront. The aroma of your favorite cigarette. Stimuli designed to trip you up, yet again. We all have our bad habits. Our battles that we’ve spent far too long fighting. Yet, we feel like Read More
A Week of Going and Doing
This last week contained a lot of going for me; more going than I’ve done in a long time. I returned to the classroom, which meant returning to commuting and arriving somewhere on time. A return to dropping my daughter off at school day-care, packing lunches and remembering all the things that enable you to Read More
Where I Need to Be
This Tuesday, I return to my classroom, which will hopefully be filled with healthy, socially-distanced students all eager to learn. One can only hope. This may last a week, a month or a school year, but I am determined to bring my best self with me for as long as it lasts. I know in Read More