Have you met my friend, Lyla?
“I do my thinking in the bleachers and my writing in the living room with balls flying, bats or clubs swinging and ESPN on in the background. When Spongebob comes on, I get nothing done.”
She writes, she says, because there are words. And because she doesn’t know how not to.
Lyla’s a property and casualty insurance adjustor who lives in South Dakota.
She’s not afraid to get down in ditches. (I love when she takes her camera.)
Or to crawl into tight places.
She dresses in layers.
And she writes in layers.
I love how she puts words together.
How she pieces a story from a day’s scraps.
I came down with a burned and bruised backside but wondering, had that vent been on the other slope instead, what I might have burned or bruised in my boy’s tender eyes and heart. For his body might belong to a man. But his insides aren’t ready for all that just yet.
How she puts flesh to a file.
This woman I never knew, whose post mortem details are spread in black and white in front of me, who dressed in comfortable cotton layers as I am known to do, is missing a shoe.
And when she writes about the Word, I love how she sees deep and brings a different perspective.
Like her series on John 9.
And in the moment Jesus tells the man that He is He, the man believes, and worships, and finds that enough can be so much more.
Or this story about Peter.
If Peter’s pockets bulged with his own resources, would the miracle have crossed his mind?
You really need to get to know her.
Check out her blog, A Different Story.
Go rested. She’ll make you think.
“She dresses in layers.
And she writes in layers.”
Yep. You got it. And yes, we all really need to get to know her. We really, really do.
I’d love to ride shotgun with her one day. Can you imagine?
Gotta be careful, though. I might make you crawl with me under the house.
I’m serious. That’d be such an adventure! I’d even go there gladly. After you assured me there were no scorpions or snakes or . . .
But I’d like to wait until the thermometer tops the freezing mark.
I agree, there is always a depth of words and pictures for one to experience when reading.
She is a don’t miss–but save a little time to savor.
Well, amen to this. And thank you – what a generous and thoughtful thing to do – and it is done so well, in your own inimitable style. And what Jennifer quoted and said – yes, that’s it.
Her mind–I can’t keep up with it!
Lyla is my favorite. She breathes life into the everyday, finding Godly lessons in the simple.
Thanks for shining the light her way….
That she does! That girl can tell a story.
Yes. She is all that. And she makes me laugh, too.
Oh, me too! How could I forget that? And she sets kitchens on fire and everything.
I heartily agree! Lyla is a treasure, and I regret that I had never visited her blog until I met in person at Laity. Look at all that I missed!
What a treat to meet her. And you! I think this calls for a blankie and a cup of tea and a weekend of reading. I re-read a lot of her posts.
Yep, the writing in layers got me.
Happy Birthday! Hope you are surrounded by love!
~ Wendy
Thanks Wendy! I’m hemmed in.
Sandy. What am I gonna say to this? This is how you throw yourself a surprise birthday party?
When you, yourself, are the very gift you give the rest of us, my beautiful friend.
Thank you for this. Saying that seems hardly adequate.
(I need to take my humbled self and blush into my steaming caffeine now.)
Celebrating you today, my friend. That’s one of the best parties I can think of. You are a blessing. I’ve grown because of you.
You are so right about Lyla….I just signed up for her blog! Love your blog, too! Blesses me over and over.