I don’t have what it takes to be a baking goddess in the kitchen. My beloved banana breads burn on the outsides but are gooey in the middle. I frequently grab baking soda when it should be powder. I never have the right amount of milk, or peanut butter, or other scrumptious addition a recipe … [Read more…]
One of my friends requested an update on the irises, and it’s only right that we revisit them! This is the photo that was taken this morning of my iris flower bed, now in full bloom under my bedroom window. There are the early bloomers, the cream-colored beauties. The plum purple ones are blooming behind … [Read more…]
It’s usually the first thing I do after getting out of bed every morning – raise the window shade that opens to a view of my back yard. I don’t necessarily do it for me, although I like the light it provides. I even keep the shades on the other two windows of my bedroom … [Read more…]
As much as I love to read, I don’t always have the best comprehension of what my eyes translate as they scan a page. With sometimes as many as six books assigned per class, I can’t read them all word for word. And with critical in-class discussions to follow, I can’t afford not to, either. … [Read more…]
The window at my desk is open, and I can hear the birds chirping in the just-budding trees. Baxter, my tuxedo cat, is nestled against the window screen, praying that it disappears long enough for him to escape into spring. In fact, I feel like I’ve just escaped into spring after being held captive in … [Read more…]
Who am I? I’ve had the opportunity to explore this question, along with my youth group, the past month. It’s been a fruitful exploration. Each year, our youth group organizes and plans a Youth Sunday where the young people take over Sunday morning worship and do it all themselves. I insist that each year we … [Read more…]
I’m not a fan of fall. I don’t know if I ever have been. A friend of mine once called fall a “disease”. I believe him now. My allergies are turning my sinuses into Defcon 5, my nostrils constantly flaring with itch and redness and congestion and sneezing. My joints start to ache. I never … [Read more…]
A few weeks ago, my best friend took me to the DuQuoin State Fair for a concert with Switchfoot and Lifehouse. She was a lifelong fan of Switchfoot, while I adored Lifehouse. It was a win-win for both of us, especially as we were equipped with food-on-a-stick and strawberry-lemon shakeups. Jennifer scored excellent seats, and … [Read more…]
Bryan Stevenson is famous for this quote that sears my brain: “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve done.” Stevenson, an attorney, is the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative that fights injustice and discrimination among the poor, incarcerated and condemned. You can read more about him and his … [Read more…]
I was standing in my kitchen before work this morning, and my chest puffed up with pride. Not only was my kitchen relatively clean for once, but it was MY kitchen. My clean countertops. My sliced up fruit in the fridge and my leftovers waiting for lunch. My eyes traveled to my kitchen faucet, dented … [Read more…]