We recently sent an old bookshelf from our house to our daughter's new apartment. It was an old bookshelf I bought used at a thrift store. It is rich with history, dings, and uneven footing. There was concern it might not even stay upright when placed on conrete floors. My husband said, "Well, all it […]
When my kiddos were little they had a piano teacher who was originally from Poland. Communist Poland. She was intense. WAY too intense to be teaching my children how to play the piano. For awhile, I didn't realize this was a bad fit. We had never had a piano teacher before and I just kind […]
The years of all of us are short, our lives precarious. Our days and nights go hurrying on, and there is scarcely time to do the little we might. Yet we find time for bitterness, for petty treason and evasion. What can we do to stretch our hearts enough to lose their littleness? Here we […]
Tourist Preaching - by Frederick Buechner ENGLISH-SPEAKING TOURISTS abroad are inclined to believe that if only they speak English loudly and distinctly and slowly enough, the natives will know what's being said even though they don't understand a single word of the language. Preachers often make the same mistake. They believe that if only they […]
When my kids were young I would often find myself overwhelmed with all of the chaos. The homework, the play dates, the sports schedules, the chores, the parties and doctor's appointments and laundry and toys and clothes and decisions and everything. One thought helped me mentally dig out from under the pile of constant, daily, […]
I wonder if any of you have this experience ... Let me try to describe it to you, as it all happens in my own head: I wake up in the morning, say at 6:45. I kind of wanted to wake up at 6, but I didn't. I woke up at 6:45. It is still […]
