When Esther moved to Southwest Christian School as an 8th grader, she announced at dinner that first week, "Y'all, it's the strangest thing. Today we had a sub, and HE KNEW MY NAME." I laughed at her incredulous statement, "Yes Essie, that's Mr. Knox, he's not a...
I have this sweet set of three birds, clay painted turquoise, one of those purchases I didn't even have to think about when I spotted them years ago in a little shop. Birds. Turquoise. Perfectly imperfect in the hand-crafted design and paint. This morning I went...
“Does my life make a difference?” That’s the question. Whether we admit it, whether we even realize it, that’s really the most fundamental, most important question we ask ourselves. It’s the reason we watch It’s a Wonderful Life every Christmas. Or if we don’t, we...
I'd like to tell you about my friend Katherine. She's the wife of an adventurer, she's the capable mom of four, and she's a friend to many. But mostly, she a daughter of the King. A daughter who's not afraid to take risks and care for others. I met Katherine twenty...
It's been nine years and we miss him. Nine years since that freezing Sunday morning when his car spun out of control on an icy highway en route to Christ Chapel. He never arrived to deliver his sermon. It's been nine years, and still his personality, his humor, his...
James Foley’s murder, Obama said, was “an act of violence that shocks the conscience of the entire world." Yesterday I refrained from calling Corbin at work - twice - when I felt truly nauseated with the news of Foley\'s death. I didn't know what to do with my shock,...
By 9:30 Monday mornings I'm almost always ready. Coffee percolating, music playing, prayer sheets printed and ready on the ottoman tray along with extra pens. I'm always touched by the women taking time on a Monday morning to attend our Moms in Prayer meetings -...
Corbin and I got to meet author Paul Batura last fall while attending a Focus on the Family Couples' Retreat with our friends Steve and Lisa. As we landed in Colorado Springs and headed to lunch, Steve announced that he had already made an appointment for us to go...
"Because when Clyde died, there wasn't much of me left." Written by Dar, my sweet friend Jessica's grandmother, in the letter I received just two weeks ago. I thought of Dar's love and appreciation for her late husband, her connection to him, and how lonely she must...
Yesterday I witnessed a miracle. A real, live, medical miracle. I wrote about my mother-in-love's bravery a month ago as she endured Biometric neurostimulator brain implant surgery for a familial tremor. For the past month as Jamie has been resting and healing from...
It started with the Tanglewood Carnival cakewalk. Esther assured me she would win. Only one winner, with about twenty-five kids marching in a circle to the music. And she won. "I told you so," she smirked at me, exiting the room with a white, scalloped-edged,...
Mama - You are Brave. It's a little unsettling when the one who takes care of everyone becomes the one who needs to be cared for. For the past two decades, my mother-in-love has helped us move homes, clean out garages, paint rooms, and play-play-PLAY with our kiddos....
On what turned out to be a windy, chilly, rainy, and evidently very busy evening, we celebrated Fort Worth Young Life with our Fund Raising Banquet last night. I've had the privilege of working alongside the Young Life committee with banquets off and on over the...
My birthday letter to Chris, who just celebrated his 40th birthday last Sunday. He is a gem, his friendship foundational to us, and just someone we love being with. Proud to be family, Chris. "Ok, Essie, just take out the 2nd baseman if he gets in your way." Dear...
We were sitting in the front living room late one night, talking about how difficult it is to do hard things - to stand apart from the crowd. "What can one kid do, Mom? I'm just one kid." I named a couple of other boys in my son's grade that would stand with him,...
It\'s been over a decade since we've seen each other. And two decades since we've spent any real time together. But the unfortunate event of her mother's passing last week allowed me a long-overdue visit with my dear friend, Shannon. As my mom and I entered the...
Allen Levi wrote the song by this name. I listened to him sing at our Young Life banquet last fall, with a few tears sliding down my cheek, and was struck by how grateful I am to to be cursed with a daddy who cares. A daddy who enforced curfew, who asked questions,...
Check out this press release on my big brother: Trey James, Xcentric’s CEO, has been selected as one of the top 100 Most Influential People in the Accounting Industry for the second year in a row. Trey was chosen by Accounting Today’s editorial staff, from among...
Read an interview with my dear friend and college roomie, Kirsten Dickerson, about Raven + Lily in today's Dallas Morning News (also featured in print in today's paper). Kirsten AND her vision are stunning!
Check out my big brother, Trey... he's amazing! Can you tell I'm a little proud?! James Listed Among Top 100 Most Influential in Accounting Industry ALPHARETTA, GA, October 2009— Xcentric, LLC’s president and CEO Trey James was recently recognized as one of the Top...
A scruffy, haggard-looking man at Hulen and I-20 holds a sign that reads, "Injured in Iraq - please help." A Pregnancy Lifeline display sits in the corner of our church foyer week after week, beckoning donations for this local ministry. Compassion and World Vision...
"Why don't you go see Heather this weekend?" "What? Just pick up and go? You think it'd work?" "Sure, if you take Basden & Esther, I can handle the boys for a few days. Even if you leave Thursday morning, I can make arrangements after school." "Well, can you still...
Not me, but Hudson. That's right. In this month's (Dec) Highlights magazine, Hudson's drawing is published in Our Own Pages. How cool is that?! He's excited, but smug. Has hardly said a word. Even with the magazine prominently displayed in our foyer, even with a...
Hudson, would you like to pray for Mike? "Mom, sometimes things are too sad for me to pray for out loud. This is one of those times." Our friends Jeff and Nan Lawrence and their family are suffering a tragedy this week. Their nearly six-year-old son, Mike, tripped and...
Well, we met her! Finally! Rowan Beth Benjamin, our new little niece. Three 1/2 months old, she is just beautiful. And CONTENT. I’ve met just one baby as “easy” as this one - my friend Sarah’s little Joseph was the same way. Make so little noise, you forget they’re in...
She writes devotionals every day on her Morning Coffee blog. Every day. She simply moves verse by verse through books of the Bible and expounds on them, adding her thoughts and personal stories. And she does this in her free time as a pastor's wife and a homeschooling...
Alganesh needed a friend. Days from delivering her second child, the dark-skinned young woman patted her protruding belly, a mix of anticipation and fear tugging at her emotions. Surveying her shabby apartment in east Fort Worth, this courageous Etheopian refugee...
I met Michelle last September. She is arguably one of Essie\'s favorite people, which makes her one of my favorite people. Michelle dances with Esther, cleans her chubby little fingers from paint and food, and even changes her punctual 10:00 am dirty diapers twice a...
Grandma was raised in Glory, Minnesota, and on this date eight years ago she was raised up for eternity in GLORY. Undoubtedly named after the Biblical Queen of Persia, Grandma inherited quite a legacy. And she left a legacy of her own in four children, ten...
Brilliant. How does she think of these things? Walking into Atlee's 6th birthday party last month, Basden ran to join the girls on the living room rug decorating an enormous wrapped box with glitter, markers, stickers, and all things girly. The moms visited, toddlers...
When you think of a stay-at-home mom who loves gardening, oil painting, writing, and photography, and who happens to be gifted and accomplished in each area, do you wonder how she does it with three young boys? Now add to that list Olympic trials, international...
Our friends Darla and Kyle wrote this on their CaringBridge site a couple of weeks ago. We were at Baylor with Darla and Kyle, and they are incredibly attractive - they draw others to want to be near them. I didn't know Kyle well at Baylor, he was a senior my freshman...
As I write this, my dear friend and college roommate, Kirsten, is packing her bags for India. She's leaving her pastor/film director/writer husband with their two young kiddos for two weeks as she leads a group of 10 people on this Justice 4 India trip. Their focus...
It\'s official, Corbin's sister, Cameron is pregnant! The Benjamin-4 will transition next Spring to the Benjamin-5 when they welcome the 3rd little one, an adopted baby she has the privilege of carrying and giving birth to. Always one to live a little outside the box,...
My Granny, whom I wrote about in a previous post, died eleven years ago today. And let me tell you, she died fighting. Cancer did it's dastardly work on her body for a number of years and she fought it tooth and nail with a healthy diet, exercise, and ferocious...
Ok... at least it's not bragging on my kids (this time). There's hardly anyone in the world I'm more proud of than my big brother, Trey. Check out his latest award... his 2nd year to receive this nation-wide "40 Under 40" honor. This from the kid who hated to read...