The morning sun grew hotter, and I felt sweat slide down the back of my neck as my hoe sliced into the base of a thistle plant. One after another, the prickly giants sank to their knees in defeat as I chopped and chopped. The mere mention of hoeing thistles was enough to raise wails …
On my old street
I drove down my old street where I used to live, and it made me sad. My street was more decrepit than I remembered. Awkwardly perched between the solidarity of winter and the freshness of spring, the trees and yards lay cold and bare and brown. Without their summer shroud of greenery, the houses stood …
Expressing negative emotions
I'm a sensitive person in more ways than one. Perhaps my deafness has made me more aware of my physical environment than most. My brain is a constant tumble of observations, thoughts, feelings, and intuitions. If I'm not careful, I can quickly collapse under the weight of what I perceive in my environment, in myself, …
Accusations
Recently someone sent me a letter, urging me to pray about the contents and think about changing my ways. "What in the world does this even mean?" I thought in bewilderment as I read the letter. It was full of Bible verses and vague interpretations. I had no idea what to make of it, other …
Running
Most times, a crisis is a lot like a sprint. Adrenaline runs high, energy kicks in, and brain, heart, and body work together to accomplish what might seem impossible. The covid pandemic feels more like a marathon. For healthcare workers, adrenaline, energy, and physical and mental resources have long been exhausted. What's different (and perhaps …
Valuing life
I woke up in the wee hours of morning to a little girl in fuzzy gray footed pajamas clutching at my arm. "I'm scared," she said in a small voice. Bleary with sleep, I sighed and briefly contemplated sending her back to her crib. But before I could send her back, my heart took charge …
On Thanksgiving morning
I woke up early on Thanksgiving morning before my alarm went off. Anxiety twisted in the pit of my stomach as I lay in darkness, curled warm under a mound of heavy blankets. This Thanksgiving I would not be gathering at the family table to feast on roast turkey and tell stories and pass the …
Overcoming
A highlight of my week is Wednesday evenings, when about half a dozen of us ladies slip into a church basement and study the Bible together. We are an odd assortment, but we love each other. Sometimes we laugh over zany high school memories and other times we cry over present struggles. I'm the oldest …
Do not harden your heart
2020 is the year the world got sick and the wackos came out of the woodwork. Or so it seems.I have never seen such strong polarization among the world as I know it. People's emotions are on edge, the verbal sparring always threatening to overwhelm anyone wanting to engage in simple conversation. Feelings are hurt, …
I’m back
I'm sitting in our local coffee shop, sipping a creamy latte out of a blue ceramic cup and forking down the most delicious crepes. "Overwhelming" is a mild word to state what life has been for me this summer. Navigating a pandemic, finalizing an adoption, mothering five children, working part-time, starting a ranch, and facing …
