simply me and jeans

My niece recently sent me a photo of my Daddy and I from Thanksgiving 2011. My heart had a quick, and bittersweet response. I smiled at how happy we both look and at the pride of being his daughter, but tears welled up in my eyes over how much I miss him.   I’ve been thinking about […]

Today someone asked me to say a few words about the importance of silence in the life of a believer. Funny thing – my brain went silent.  All I could think to say was that it’s hard for me AND I desperately need it. If I’m honest, I don’t have any wise words or intellectual […]

People often ask if I got what I was looking for out of my trip to Scotland but I’m not sure how to answer that question. I was never sure what I was looking for.  I struggled with whether to go in the first place and almost backed out a few times because, let’s be honest, […]

Father, forgive my hesitant heart. Although I speak of your faithfulness and remember your love, I still falter when casting my net into the water.   Forgive this doubt that lives in the shadows of my disappointments and sorrows.  It doesn’t overtly speak but stirs up “rational” analysis and mitigation in the face of your call. Forward […]

I remember the day I stopped misspelling “desert” and “dessert.” It was 2nd grade and my teacher said, “You don’t want more time in the desert, but you always want more dessert. Right? So, dessert has more S’s just like you would want more dessert.” It’s 50 years later and I haven’t forgotten that lesson. […]

One of the mysteries of my life is my brain. Why I crave a chocolate croissant and tea on hard days is beyond me but, I can’t argue with the comfort it brings my heart. I had it from a Parisian cafe almost everyday while Steve was in ICU. I hardly ate anything else during […]

My Daddy taught me to love gardening and I think of him every year around Valentine’s Day.  Why? A couple of reasons. One is that he always brought me the first Narcissus bloom around this time each year. As we reminisced about that, I told mom that I was sorry he didn’t bring them to […]

Someone asked me a question today. Where is Jesus when you pray? Is he next to me?  Across the room looking and listening? Nowhere to be found? On a throne next to his Father? Hanging on a cross? Within my heart? Do I even believe he really exists and hears? I realized that He’s usually […]

As a runner,  I have four formidable enemies. A headwind kicks my butt. There are days I get dressed for a run only to walk outside, feel a breeze and turn around to head straight for the treadmill. Hills, although I’m more determined to conquer them,  also leave me wiped out. Heat is my nemesis and […]

For as long as I can remember it’s been important for me to recognize and value the struggles of life.  To recognize that faith doesn’t mean ignoring pain and empty platitudes aren’t helpful when they make it seem like the “faithful” don’t suffer. To give voice to things that could make people feel different or […]