I hope heaven houses bookstores. Because I love bookstores. If I ran away from home, you could probably find me in a bookstore. Dennis and I bond in bookstores. Even aisles away from each other. One of my favorite date nights. And he loves a cheap night out. Not so cheap, though. I must carry […]
Too Much Stuff
My son moved back to town. Even though his first apartment was only the fling of a Frisbee from work. He missed us. He missed his hometown. So he decided to trade spaces. In fact, he paid rent on two digs this month in order to secure a good deal on the new place, now […]
I Don’t Remember
I read something in a blog today that made me remember a tale from high school. I’d really rather not. I was a sophomore or junior. Not sure which. I had a steady boyfriend. I wore his class ring wrapped with angora or mohair yarn, often rewrapped to match my clothing. We went to a […]
The Price of Procrastination
Replace a furnace blower motor: Cost $300. For failure to check and replace inexpensive furnace filters in a timely fashion. Another trip around the same mountain. Bounced check fees from failure to deduct automatic draft. Cost: $200. Credit card bill paid online two days before its due date instead of three: Cost: Only $10, but […]
Filling My Bag
My mother wrote today that they ran out of Halloween treats after 15 minutes. That it reminded her of the year Grandma laid rubber to the store. She had us kids empty our bags so they could continue treating until Grandma squealed into the driveway with a new supply. I don’t remember that! You’d think […]
Seize Today – A Poem
I will seize today For it is shiny and new Sparkling with promise A gift wrapped With moments for delight To savor. Anticipation. I will let go of yesterday’s Wrinkled regrets Faded failures Broken bows of disappointment Moments to forget And forgive. Finished. I will not treasure tomorrow For God has not promised On earth […]
The Famous One
Dennis left the AARP magazine open on the kitchen table to page 16. There, staring at me this morning, was a sultry picture of Elizabeth Taylor in her younger years. In a bathing suit. One piece. But with a good bit of top exposure for 1959, methinks. Underneath the photo was a little blurb referring […]
Seven Basic Steps to Successful Christian Writing
I stumbled today on one of my first articles accepted for publication. It appeared in The Christian Writer back in 1982, and it’s speaking to me even now as I venture back into this scary territory. Even though the editor, T.A. Norton, wrote “I like its unique concept for success,” I now find the original […]
A Carrot, an Egg, or a Coffee Bean?
How do you respond when bad things happen? Or tough and rough things? Or even little disappointments? Or simply unexpected changes? Do you melt down and fall apart? Go limp and give up? Become hard and embittered? Or do you release the fragrance that’s within, become richer and enrich the lives around you? Dennis emailed […]
Expect the Unexpected
My phone beep, beep, beeped in the middle of yesterday’s quiet, well-planned, writing afternoon with a text message. “Mom, prepare yourself. I’m going to call in a few minutes.” My heart skipped a beat. My daughter struggles with various health issues. I knew she had a doctor’s appointment. She has a 25-year-old friend with a […]
