This week, I closed on the sale of my aunt’s house. Getting to this point has been a 10-month process. At times, I felt I would never come to this day because the task of cleaning out the house felt like a mountain too high to scale. But like many things in life, reaching this […]
Moving Through Difficult Circumstances
No one disputes the fact that last year was difficult. For our family, as for many others, the hard stuff spilled over into the new year. That’s the way it is. Difficult life seasons don’t follow the calendar, advance with any sort of orderly progression, or resolve in the time frame of our choosing. While […]
How to Approach Seasons of Waiting
In many ways, life is a series of waits. Often, we don’t respond well to waiting because we have become so conditioned to immediacy. Current technology provides rapid access to information, navigation, product viewing, purchasing, and learning with a few swipes or clicks. Despite our rapid pace, 2020 has been a year of waiting. We’ve […]
Refresh, Renew, Reignite
During these days of working outside in 90+ degree temperatures, I have experienced extreme exhaustion, the kind of fatigue that sitting for a while doesn’t relieve. Only re-hydrating refreshes, renews, and reignites. Today, when everything is different, uncertain, turbulent, and confusing, there are times when I feel parched mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Following are insights, […]
Writing Conferences and Life
I’m teaching at a writing conference in North Carolina this week. Attendees have gathered from across the country, and beyond, to learn and meet with editors, agents, and professional writers. Conferees come with hopes, dreams, and expectations. For some, hopes and dreams come to fruition; for others, expectations go unrealized. Writers are an interesting bunch. […]
4 Insights into Handling Life’s Thorns
Several days ago, I pulled a wooden basket off a shelf and quickly realized the handle had deposited a splinter in my finger. It hurt, but not enough to slow down preparations for a family dinner. However, the next day, my finger demanded attention. I worked on it with a needle and some pressure and […]