There’s an old adage that came out around the time of the movie, “Remember The Titans?” You’ve heard it before, I’m sure. “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” That quote was put on countless posters…usually with a body builder lifting like a million pound weight or something. I’ve always found that saying to be full of truth, but hard to … Read More
The Power Known by Oaks (Or How to Deal with the News)
I don’t know about you, but my heart has been so heavy the last several weeks. I’ve had trouble sleeping at night just trying to process all the pain and problems that have been at the forefront of the newscasts. The crisis in Syria. Manslaughter caused by a drunk driver. The Navy Yard shootings. All of these have directly impacted … Read More
Choose Your Own Ending (or Beginning) Stories
The other night we were eating ice cream with David’s sister and her family. It had been a few weeks since we’d all gotten to hang out, so we were catching up on what had been going on lately. Pete, our brother-in-law, recounted something our 5 year old nephew, Stephen, said before he went to bed one night recently… “Daddy, … Read More
Getting Level with the Bread Box
I love to cook. It’s exciting to me to take a bunch of ingredients from my cupboard, throw them all in a bowl, stir, toss it all into a pan, put it in the oven and 30 minutes or so later watch (and smell) it all turn into bread or cake or something else great like that (cookies, muffins, biscuits…mmmm). … Read More
Roots That Produce Fruits
I was at my sister’s house the other day and noticed a framed picture with a Bible verse underneath it. I can’t seem to get this passage of Scripture out of my mind lately. “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as … Read More
Trusting The Translator. (Or: Do You Understand The Words That Are Coming Out of My Mouth?)
The other night, my husband was trying to explain where something was on the campus that he works at. We both are alumni and I used to work there as well. So, I know the general layout of things. But this was a new meeting hall he was trying to tell me about, so I wasn’t exactly positive where it … Read More
Back to School
We’ve had my 6 and 8 year old nieces with us for nearly a week now. Before Grammy left, she and I took the girls back to school shopping. Growing up, going shopping for new school supplies was one of my favorite times of the year. There’s just something about a fresh box of crayons, never been used pencils, a … Read More
Under The Same Roof Again
Sitting on the front porch of my family’s homestead in Western North Carolina is the perfect spot to reflect upon the past year. Exactly one year ago today, my husband, dog, and I were packed like sardines in a Penske truck headed from Nashville to Lynchburg, Virginia. The trip normally would take 8.5 hours but with a bogged down horseless … Read More
Walking from Faith to Faith
In order to graduate high school, I had to write a senior paper. It was a year long process. But, I loved it. One of my very favorite teachers at our small, private school was my advisor and he happened to specialize in history. Martin Luther was my subject of choice for that paper. I found his life so fascinating … Read More