My Peace I Give You
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 Simply reading those words allows my shoulders to relax. Allows me to take a deep breath in and back out. This is...
The Boy who Grew into the Groom
"Wait, have you tried on your tux yet, Hud?" I eyed the unopened cardboard box leaning against his bedroom wall. Folding the last of his clothes, Hudson responded with a weary, "Oh, not yet. I guess I need to do that." I'd run upstairs to help him pack up from...
She Makes a Life by What She Gives
There's no one like Paulette. Family. She knows the beauty of family, and the fraying of family. Friends. She knows the value of a faithful friend, and she knows living lonely. Wealth. She knows bounty, and she knows scarcity. Generosity. She knows how to fill a room...
The Boy on the Plane
"Man, I'm thirsty." I glanced down at the young boy nestled beside me on row 29. We hadn't even met, but he leaned into me, our shoulders touching. His expectant brown eyes peered straight into mine. I offered him a soft smile and returned to my book. "I mean,...
What Wisdom can we Find that is Greater than Kindness
55 years of Corbin! Fall 1993. 21 years old, fall of my junior year in college, I climbed into bed with my walkman tape player and headphones. I hit play on Tommy Nelson’s popular Bible study on the Song of Solomon. Laying in the dark, I listened to Tommy’s story...
A Hard Time ~ A Simple Story with a Big Lesson
As our driver wound through the streets of San Miguel last March, the conversation in our car flowed with laughter and anticipation as we headed into a five-day writer's retreat. Minutes before we pulled to the curb in front of our lovely home for the long weekend,...
For Such a Time as This
Who needs a little encouragement this week? Reposting an edited version from 2016, but nine years later I need to hear it again myself. Sometimes perfect strangers will see me out with my children and say things like, "I can't imagine parenting in this generation."...
Momma Encouragement for Sorority Recruitment
This photo from last night took my breath away. Crowded into one of the lower sections of Jordan-Hare Stadium, thousands (a record-setting 2349, to be exact) of hope-filled girls huddled together in the stands for Auburn's first night of sorority recruitment. What a...
The View from the Finish Line
“Hey Hudson, the directions say to start right here with the picture of the little boy, and then help him get home.” “But Mom, it’s easier to go backwards, see?” With the words barely out of his mouth, six-year-old Hudson completed the maze on his restaurant paper...
The Gift of a Little Pink Rose
Walking to the Amazon return counter at Whole Foods, a little girl interrupted my mental to-do list. Her thoughtful, round eyes locked with mine as she reached out with a pink rose. “Here, this is for you.” A simple smile, no explanation, just an unexpected gift of...
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi ~ Book Review
So far I've given away 17 copies. Most notably, four to my children on Mother's Day, with a request that they read it - at some point - as a Mother's Day gift to me. I saw Theo of Golden recommended on a friend's Facebook story and immediately ordered it from Amazon....
Always Golden
Yellow flames dancing in the fire pit rays of sunshine spotlighting the marble floor blonde stucco waving through the windows glittery tiles tap dancing to the sun's movement his favored spot on the rug sits empty. But his golden hues remain plentiful throughout our...
The Sweet Aroma of a Mother’s Kindness
Last Sunday morning found Corbin and I at the Barcelona airport, headed home from a couple of weeks of travel through Portugal and Spain. Our baggage check line snaked through the airport lobby, with agents periodically reshaping the lines to accommodate the...
The Shortest Easter Sermon
What is so attractive about simplicity? Grocery shopping at Trader's not because it's trendy, but because there's one option for canned black beans. Cleaning out our closets not for the sake of minimalism, but to make getting dressed a more streamlined process. Fewer...
A Reminder for Easter ~ Can These Bones Live?
With Easter just three weeks away, I'm reposting this from a couple of years ago as a reminder - more to myself than anyone else - that God is ABLE. He is able and in the business of bringing dry bones to life. God's very best gift, the resurrection of His Son, is a...
Practicing Gratitude 3.31.25
Took a mid-week trip to Auburn last week. My visit was anchored by getting to be at Wednesday night Capernum - when will I ever be in Auburn on a Wednesday night?! Flew out Mon - Thurs, stayed at Basden's, so so many good gifts: Staying with Basden in her house,...
Recounting a Memory
Last week I spent the day with a remarkable woman on a horse farm in the Kentucky Bluegrass. She reminded me so much of my Granny - beautiful, hard-working, artistic, a wordsmith, and with a deep love for horses and animals. On a separate note, special thanks to Dr....
I’ll Borrow None Today
In celebration of my mom's birthday this week, she offers many, many qualities I could describe: Her impromptu generosity, particularly with time and creativity; her frugality and the way she manages money; her seamstress abilities providing the perfect costume or...
I Remember Forgetting That
Years ago, one of our kiddos surprised us - and I think themself - by making some poor choices as a middle schooler (haha yes, the irony of that statement is not lost on me). But this particular circumstance felt pretty out of character. Corbin and I took our...
You’re So Able
Several years ago driving out of the grocery parking lot, I pulled behind a few cars waiting to turn left. After a minute or so without moving, I could see the car at the front of the line with the engine lid raised, so I swerved to the right and maneuvered through an...