"To really touch something, she is learning--the bark of a sycamore tree in the gardens; a pinned stag beetle in the Department of Entomology; the exquisitely polished interior of a scallop shell in Dr. Geffard's workshop--is to love it." ~Anthony Doerr in All the Light We Cannot See "She" is ... Read More about Concrete Words: Finding Meaning in the Everyday
Making Room for Others
Hospitality asks us to make room for others, and we often assume this means hosting them in our physical spaces. Yet because of certain situations—a restrictive budget, a difficult roommate, chronic illness, unpredictable work hours—we may not always have the capacity to open up our homes. But ... Read More about Making Room for Others
The Language of Belonging:When a Person and Place Speak the Same Language
"The unseen spirit of a place has its deep desire and if it's the same as yours then your small desire goes down like an anchor into the depths."~Elizabeth Goudge in The Scent of Water In the tiny pantry at the top of the basement stairs, I hung the calendar of England my husband gave me for ... Read More about The Language of Belonging:When a Person and Place Speak the Same Language
Three Things to Remember When Guilt Arrives Uninvited
Years ago, during a prolonged season of fighting against some of my own limiting beliefs, I wrote a series on experiencing freedom. Or, more accurately, I wrote my way out of those beliefs into freedom--freedom from unrealistic expectations, fear, false labels, and spiritual bondage. I thought I'd ... Read More about Three Things to Remember When Guilt Arrives Uninvited
For the Anxious Heart
When I raised my arm to brush through my hair, I noticed the shiver of unexpected movement in my fingers. I placed the brush on the bathroom counter and held my hands in front of me and watched as they quivered with restlessness. As I watched this unvoluntary shake, I felt the low-grade hum beneath ... Read More about For the Anxious Heart
The Lost Key: A Story of Redemption
With guests due to arrive in our home for a visit, I took a moment to sweep up crumbs and wipe paw prints from the floors around our kitchen. As I moved about the room, I found a small mound of wood shavings in a forgotten corner and bent down to sweep them into my hand. A basket of birch logs from ... Read More about The Lost Key: A Story of Redemption
