The week after the hailstorm, tornadoes threatened to destroy Kansas. As dire weather forecasts poured in that Thursday, I moved restlessly about the house, putting things in order. I don’t know why I felt like I needed to tidy my nest—if a tornado flattened our house, it wouldn’t matter how clean the house was. But …
Continue reading Under the Stairs, and the Storm that Wasn’t
On Mother's Day, I'd like to share a tiny piece of my family history with you. My mother did not have an easy life. She raised nine children, four of whom were deaf. Her gentle but tenacious spirit pressed through the difficulty to equip her children to live the best lives possible. She spent hours …
For all my rascally friends who are inordinately interested in how I look with a bowl on my head, here you go. Today the earth is bright and clean, and I'm not soaking wet, but in this picture I'm clutching the shovel that I used during the pouring rain and hail to dig a trench around …
Continue reading Hail, Friends, and a Stainless Steel Helmet
Thoughts are like birds that circle far overhead, and when they swoop down close enough to touch, you have to grab a few silky feathers before they vanish into the atmosphere. I won't tell you where I was when the thoughts came circling, but I rummaged through my purse and found a pencil and a church bulletin. …
Continue reading Notes scribbled on the back of a church bulletin
If I were homeless, I would want to be treated with dignity and respect. I would want people to see past the street dirt and grime to my tender heart beating underneath. I would ache for them to know that I have feelings--hopes, fears, and despair--and that I am not cold and uncaring. Even if …
arabah rejoice 