One of the best things about spring is the return of green. After months of browns, blacks, and grays, the landscape begins to change. At first, it’s an almost imperceptible shift as buds form, adding dimension to bare branches. Clumps of irises green up, interspersed with hints of purple flowers yet to bloom. The hydrangea […]

Often I sit on our deck to read my Bible and pray. For some reason, I’m in the habit of turning my chair toward to the left, but the view in that direction isn’t ideal. I see a bare patch where a dead tree once stood, the remnants of weeds at the edge of the […]

Last weekend, I taught at a writers’ conference. One of my classes was a preview, which provided information on how to make the most of the conference. My last point dealt with processing the information, following up with requests from editors, and following through with plans to improve their manuscripts and submit them. As these […]

Last Sunday, my daughter and son-in-law dedicated their son to the Lord, and themselves, as parents, to nurturing and training him according to the tenets of faith. To some, this may seem like a useless ritual, but for our family, it was day of celebration. When the dedication service was over, almost before he was […]

Last week, Billy Graham’s life on earth ended. In the days since his death, the word that has been most used to describe the farmboy turned evangelist is humble. For a man who preached all over the world, prayed with and gave counsel to presidents, and had a far-reaching impact in spreading the gospel, it’s […]

Last week, a sweet friend died. Although she was battling cancer, her death came more suddenly than expected. As odd as it sounds, Tammy and I met on the street. At first we nodded or waved as we passed each other on our daily walks. Eventually, one of us turned and joined the other so […]

In the past few weeks, my spam folder filled with emails offering me pictures and promises of love. Romance is just a click away. Love is guaranteed if you open this. Read now if you want to secure true love. Needless to say, my delete button has seen a lot of use. But seeing all […]

Recently, I was in the food court of a large mall. The area teamed with people of all ages, sizes, and ethnicities. Near the end of our meal, a mother and two children sat at the table next to us. The daughter was about ten years old, the son about two. It soon became apparent […]

Here, at the end of January, I find myself sputtering, trying to gain traction on a new year. Things I had planned to accomplish this month have failed to take off. While there are some legitimate reasons,—sickness, grandchild care (which I totally enjoyed!), weather, fatigue—part of the January slowdown can simply be attributed to lack […]

In January each year, a new crop of folks sprout at the gym. They are easy to spot because they are the ones with the new workout clothes. Sometimes the women wear makeup and bring a venti latte to sip while strolling on the treadmill. Some of the men bring the newspaper or a sports […]