What does it look like to live a good story? Am I living a good story? Why does it matter? Those are questions the folks over at Prodigal Magazine have been wrestling with. My mom lived a good story, and we celebrated her life six months ago. I’m reposting this today in order to join […]
Five Minute Friday: In Which She is Afraid to Say Hello
We’re on the way to school, and I tell Grace how Great-Grandpa is home and can’t drive and is lonesome since Great-Grandma died. I tell her how he likes us to call, to hear our voices. “I don’t know if he’ll be up yet,” I say, “but let’s try.” He answers on the second […]
Sweet Red Symphony
Love whispers petals crushed on tongues of salty grief that bleed a sweet red symphony and rises on the wings of hope. Words would just not come this month for Tweetspeak Poetry’s February prompt of red. So today I played with magnetic words and came up with these few brief lines. Though he […]
Five Minute Friday: The Reality of Grief
I flip through the pages of Time Magazine until she breezes into the waiting room to invite me back. “How are you today?” Her eyes sparkle, and the corners crinkle. I flash a big smile. “Fine. Just fine!” I climb up into the chair, and she pins the bib around my neck. She flips […]
Because it’s My Birthday: Horseshoe Lake (revisited)
I planned to skip today. I mean, celebrating my birthday with the one who gave me birth being gone now two days shy of only two months just seemed–well, too hard. I even stripped my birthdate off my Facebook profile so it could pass quietly. I tried to share my feelings with one family member–perhaps […]
Surprised by Light
This is the day the Lord has made. And I am sad. I’ve misplaced my joy today. I’ve been thinking about my mom again. And I’ve been struggling to see her face. Why can’t I see her face? The box she gave me last summer still sits next to the pine grain bin in the […]
If You’re Grieving . . . Embrace Your Wild Side
Sunday was a God day. I wrote about it here. And the comments. Well, they’re God things to me, too. But I forgot to mention the zoo. The pastor talked about it before he launched into his message. Well, I guess it was part of the message when you think about it. That whole […]
I’m Just Not Into Christmas
I toss some change into the red kettle before I go through WalMart’s door. The tree of a ringer man smiles broad. “God bless you, and Merry Christmas!” “God bless you, too, and Merry Christmas,” I murmur. But I wonder if my piddly coins can really make a difference. I’ve come for a few groceries. […]
Saturday Snaps: Jerry the Red-Nosed-Reindeer
The deer bounded away. “I’ll bet Dad’s coming back from his walk,” I say. I watch him through the window. He plops down on the bench. He has branches in his hands. “What is he doing?” Tears pool in my eyes. “Is he crying? Praying?” Not quite. He seems to always miss the deer in […]
Connected to This Place
A quick five minutes for Lisa Jo on the prompt connected. GO! We will commit her ashes this afternoon. And I will go home tomorrow. Back to my husband’s home. The place where he is connected. Where his family came over 100 years ago. I will be buried there. Next to his parents. In […]
