I’m not a woodworker — too afraid of a table saw for that kind of endeavor. Even so, I know that wood has a grain to it. Go against a piece of wood’s natural grain and guess what happens … The wood tears. There have been seasons in my life when I lived against the grain. Circumstances pressured me to act a …
In Others’ Words: Direction
Seems everyone’s talking resolutions and words . . . hopes and dreams for the new year. I relish hearing about other people’s desires for the next 12 months. Meanwhile, I hung up my “Confidence” quote near my desk and positioned the “Confidence” ornament my friend Shari gave me from the rear view mirror of my Subaru Forester. Yes, that’s one …
In Others’ Words: Begin
Happy 2013, friends! I’ve missed our conversations. We’re two days into the new year. I have plans for today … and for this year. Based on your Facebook statuses, your emails, your Instant Messages, y’all have plans too. I’m wise enough to know my plans will be interrupted. Let’s see if I’m also wise enough to embrace the interruptions, adapt …
In Others’ Words: Christmas Prayer
We yearn, our Father, for the simple beauty of Christmas — for all the old familiar melodies and words that remind us of that great miracle when He who made all things was one night to come as a babe, to like in the crook of a woman’s arm. Before such mystery we kneel, as we follow the shepherds …
In Others’ Words: On a Hummingbird’s Wing and a Prayer
After eight years living in Niceville, FL (yes, Niceville), my roots ran deep into Florida’s sandy soil. My kids were happy. My husband was happy with his job at Eglin Air Force Base. And me? I was happy too. I treasured a wonderful circle of friends, taught women’s Bible studies and helped lead the women’s ministry at my church. My …
In Others’ Words: Direction
Where are you headed? There are 28 days left in December and then it’s time for a new calendar and a new year. Where are you headed in 2013? If you’ve known me for any length of time, you know I abandoned New Year’s Resolutions years ago — way back in 2006, to be exact. Instead, I focus on one …
In Others’ Words: Perseverance
It has been an interesting week. I could share all the details, but trust on me on this: It has been an interesting week. Now “interesting” is a vague word, I know. Do I mean interesting-bad or interesting-good? Well, yes. Yes, I do. One of the interesting events of the week was getting this blog up and running again. For …
In Others’ Words: Fairy Tales
As a little girl, I read fairy tales. I enjoyed Walt Disney’s animated version of Cinderella and Snow White and Sleeping Beauty too … and even embraced the updated version of Beauty and the Beast and Rapunzel. (Tangled? Loved it and laughed through it.) So maybe it’s no surprise fairy tales show up in my second novel, Catch a Falling …
In Others’ Words: Answers
Remember when you were in school and sometimes — oh, happy day! — the answers to the math problems were in the back of the textbook? Of course, copying the answers was cheating. And doing so didn’t help you master algebra or geometry … but you did finish your homework a lot faster. I haven’t stumbled across any book …
In Others’ Words: Forgotten
I can’t even let myself think too long of the story ideas I’ve forgotten because I didn’t write them down. They were brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Sometimes it was a story idea. Or just a scene. Or a snippet of dialogue with just the right zing. But I was already in bed, comfy under the covers, with my teeth brushed and …