The words you’re about to read are a spin off of sorts from a hand-written card I sent to a family member of Denny DeVries, who passed away suddenly last week. I would like to have the memories to keep for myself, and I don’t think the family would mind me composing a weblog of my thoughts and feelings about their dad, grandpa, husband, friend, and family patriarch. In many ways, he was also the patriarch of our church family. Because he was... Read more

When I was a kid, I counted down the days until Christmas because like every other kid on the planet, I was excited. Now that I’m old(er!) and obligated to do a lot of adulting, I count down the days because I’m paranoid about not getting it all done before Christmas. It. What is “it”? Grocery shopping, menu planning, gift wrapping, shopping, toilet cleaning, preparing bedrooms for company, writing blogs that very few people read. 🙂 I could carry on …... Read more

By the looks of things around this blog, you’d think that my writing is slowing down. But behind the scene (or should I say screen?), a different thing is happening. I’ve started writing longhand again. Sometimes I type up a polished version. Sometimes not. I’m writing more letters – you know, the kind a recipient can touch, smell, and stumble reading through because it’s been a decade since he or she has read cursive. The kind with a stamp attached. A return address. A worn corner from... Read more

This Christmas, I decided to decorate in a very simple style. I strung popcorn and cranberries for tree garland. I bought bows made of burlap and even dispersed them on the tree, even though you can’t see that from the pic. I tied pine cones to a real tree. Hung a real wreath.  Etcetera, etcetera …. Deep down, I have a strong desire to live a more simplistic life. This is a popular approach to living these days, but even in a... Read more

Last night, Mom and I came home from the grocery store to find my back door swinging open. When we left, I had watched her lock and close it with my own eyes, so I was a little bit stumped – and unnerved – at why it might be open. The house appeared undisturbed. The door wasn’t damaged and there wasn’t any other evidence of forced entry. Still, an open door never makes me feel too welcome. With arms full of... Read more

Last Friday, I slept a half hour later than usual. I slowly woke next to a warm, loving husband, just like every other day. We had breakfast together. He ate Cheerios. I ate yogurt. When our bellies were nearly full, he announced he’d like to take me to Lowe’s to look at carpet samples so we could replace the stinky, 40 year old carpet in the downstairs bedrooms. He could have gone by himself. Or I could have saved him time by going by myself. But we choose to do these things arm in arm because we prefer... Read more

So my plan was to only cover one chapter per post. But since I asked a gal to read Radical Womanhood with me, and to my pleasant surprise, she’s pretty snappy about reading, I’m reading faster than I expected. And I guess since it’s my blog, I’ll do what I want. Hehee. So, here we go with chapter 2 and 3: Chapter 2: Men Aren’t the Problem This chapter was in many ways convicting for me. I don’t consider myself a feminist, but that’s not to say I’ve never struggled with a feminist... Read more

  The other day on Facebook, I posted a video of Auggie Fynn sitting on my hardwood floors playing with a tube of cardboard from a paper towel holder. There’s nothing captivating about a cardboard tube, but he was so lit up, so joyful about his newfound “toy.” He laughed and squealed and waved it around like the prized possession he believed it to be. He also chewed on it, but, Ahem! We won’t spend a lot of time discussing that, as it makes me... Read more

I am currently reading a book by Carolyn McCully, entitled Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World. It was recommended on the 9Marks website, and is highly endorsed by the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, so I trust it will be a worthwhile read. That’s not to say I fully agree with everything 9Marks or CBMW would ever say. And one should never read without the Scriptures nearby to compare notes with what man or woman has said. But it is... Read more

Forgiveness is a huge part of the Christian’s life. If we don’t know how or we refuse to forgive those who have hurt us, we can be assured that we are not Christians at all. Forgiveness is at the heart of Christianity because it is at the heart of why Christ came. And after all, Christ did say that if we do not forgive, neither will we be forgiven (Matt. 6:15) For me, the difficult part of forgiveness is that it’s not typically a one... Read more