The tree arrived in a pot—scrawny and with little foliage to help identify it. A woman where my husband worked wanted the tree removed. Carry it away. She had no use for the seedling. My husband had a thing about trees. He couldn’t kill it even though he didn’t think the tree would survive—the roots […]
Faith Matters
The Legacy of King
More than thirty years ago, (1986) Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a national holiday. Designated to be observed the third Monday in January, near King’s birthday on the fifteenth, the date did not happen without controversy. The civil rights leader who advocated harmony, became the center of conflict. Some states refused to adopt the […]
Abide–A Word for 2020
A writers forum I follow posed the question this week— ‘what is your word for 2020?’ People of faith often choose an expression to lead them through the year. With writers it makes sense because those who compose prose are in the business of words. I had to give this some thought. 2020 represents the […]
Where will Christmas find you?
I posed that question to the bank teller this week. She groaned, shook her head, and broke into a dismayed laugh. “I think I’ll fake the flu. I can take my time after the holiday and do it right.” Not the answer I expected. I asked the checker at the grocery store. “I’m ready for […]
Oh Christmas Tree!
Our Christmas festivities always begin with the arrival of the tree. It’s a ritual my family has honed to perfection (and exhaustion) over the years. But this year the tree hunters were met with a surprise. The lot from which they chose to buy had sold out. Its sister location across town had also disposed […]
Oldest, Coldest and Wet
The weatherman predicted a downpour here today for the 67th Springfield Oregon Christmas Parade, an event that boasts it is the oldest and coldest parade in the nation. But despite the warning, people flocked to the curbs along the streets and endured a mild drizzle for about a half hour before the rain gave it […]
When Holidays Hurt
My sister died July 1, 2018. No warning. No extended illness. No freak accident. The only memory that remains is the frantic call from my brother-in-law to tell me the news. Like a pebble tossed on a lake that leaves a brief ripple upon the water, then disappears, the event passed. No goodbyes. No closure. […]
Make Someone’s Day
Today I stopped to pick up some groceries on my way home from a haircut. The store seemed busy. When I went to check out, I found all available checkers engaged. I pulled into the most likely line to finish first and soon discovered my mistake. At the register stood a woman with a pile […]
A Friend’s Importance
Changes in life are inevitable. Solomon spoke of those in Ecclesiastes 3 where he said, “To everything there is a season, a purpose for everything under heaven.” To lose someone in your life, even if it is only through a change of location, can leave you feeling empty. That happened to me and two of my friends […]
A Day in the Life. . .
This week promised to be a busy one from its onset, but as the days progressed I found myself more and more overwhelmed. The dentist appointment and the critique group meeting were already on the agenda, but then came the audio book edits—all fourteen chapters of them. My agent was waiting for the finished proposal […]