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 …
Category: Our Town
Small Town Church
As our gray Ford Expedition pulled onto the road this morning, we caught a glimpse of our neighbor's blue Expedition speeding down a side street. "He's racing us!" Will said, laughing, finding his own shortcuts to take. We hurled down a back alley only to lose the race by a few seconds. But we all …
Deafness, and the goodness of God
The past few months have been so overwhelming I have found it almost impossible to write. I remember once reading that how women respond to the intensity of childbirth tends to be very much like they respond to other big events in their lives--some women feel the need to turn outward with their emotions and …
God’s ways
A few weeks ago, Will and I drove our family to Kentucky to see my parents. I forgot just how good it felt to be home, where the smell of my mother's fresh whole wheat bread welcomed us and wrapped around us comfortingly. I walked through my mother's garden with her, enjoying her presence and …
God speaks through a parking lot
Some say that God's voice always results on us falling on our faces with the force of His glory; that if we doubt it is His voice, we haven't heard Him. And they have a point--the awesome presence of God is capable of melting us in an instance. I have felt that force. But I …
From my window
From my chair at the desk, I can see the neighbor man working on one of his decrepit vehicles. J is wearing a billcap on backward, a black, sleeveless t-shirt, and saggy jeans. He looks sad as he works among the weeds. A cigarette droops from his mouth. After a while, J drops his tools …
blessings
I almost feel apologetic for the pensive nature of my last few posts; I say almost, because the reality is that life is not always easy, and sometimes the most powerful thing we can do for each other is to say "I identify with you." Still, last night as I was drifting off to sleep, …
Let us run with patience
Laughter regularly splashes over my life, such as when my three-year-old mischievously puts his clean clothes in the fridge, and when my six-year-old exclaims, "Mama look in the mirror! Your eyebrows are bushy." I find joy in new friendships and new opportunities. I am forever grateful for a good family and a cozy nest to …
My eternal home
When Will and I got married, we bought a dear little three-acre patch of overgrown property in the country. A crumbling-down house stood in one corner of the lot, and most of the rest of the area was covered with trees--a luxury for Kansas. We cleared out a space in the trees and moved in …
A month of blessing
October used to be one of my favorite months of the year. Crisp, fall air pushing away the heat of summer. Chrysanthemums. Pumpkin and apple pies steaming from their flaky crusts, smelling of cinnamon and spice. Fall décor. Will and my wedding anniversary. Leaves falling into crackling piles, and children romping through them, rosy-cheeked. But …
arabah rejoice 