Somehow death and suffering draw me to the keyboard and compel me to lay thoughts out on paper—or screen, as it were. Maybe that makes me a morbid person, but I prefer to think that loss drives me to evaluate those really important parts of my life: the relationships with those I love. I lost a friend last year, a strong man of fifty-three whose end came way too soon and way too fast, and then I heard [Read more…]
Pushy Paul and Marie Barone
Today, my quiet time took me to Philemon, that tiny, little-studied book of the Bible Paul wrote to Philemon, his “beloved co-worker” on behalf of his slave, Onesimus. Lately, I’ve been writing down the scripture I read because my brain just won’t stop and focus on a single thought or task on its own, and I have to trick it into paying attention. Believe me, it’s not because I’m some spiritual powerhouse in my quiet time. Writing it down, however, slowed my thinking and led me to a funny thought. Paul’s writing style, in his old age, became more like Marie Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond) than the style of his earlier writings.
When a Skillet Is More Than a Skillet
A friend of mine recently shared her thoughts upon giving a cast iron skillet as a wedding gift. Words are not her thing, even though her thoughts were quite clear, so she asked me to help her put those thoughts into words for the young bride and groom. Together we managed to compile a [Read more…]
Some Memories Never Fade
Some memories just never fade; though, I do wish I still had that picture of my younger self with that little green chalkboard my baby sister and I received for Christmas many years ago. Looking back, I probably should apologize [Read more…]
Outnumbered: Oh Brother!
I’m a kid sister. In fact, I have six older siblings and one younger. At five years old, my sister found herself the middle child between two boys: Tom, the elder, and Steve, the younger. Not willing to accept this position in life without a fight, she [Read more…]