Several years ago, my family and I had set out on a brief weekend trip to visit my extended family in Reno. Having been in Texas for my grandmother's memorial service the week prior when Lent began, I wasn't in the frame of mind to tackle something to give up. The time with family to honor my ...
growth
Downsizing Christmas
I'm no humbug, but I have to admit that I occasionally have trouble enjoying Christmas. I'll admit changing the station when "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" croons from the radio, as sometimes it just makes me angry. For our family, December is often one of the hardest months. All the ...
My Jewel [Poem]
The past may hold us, the future may change us, yet something binds, it holds and secures— Memories, old and new, combine to seal and hold tight the grip— the years cement. ...
Impossible Christmas Joy
Christmas is a complicated season. At the surface, the media sends us the message that it is the "most wonderful time of year" filled with candy canes, happy smiling children, blissful mall shopping, and of course, argument-free family gatherings and copious amounts of leisure time. It's tough to ...
The Tension of Motherhood
There are lots of different “zones” in life, but the zone of motherhood—with all its different ages and stages—is one zone that can never be completely outgrown. Once you’ve become a mother, it’s always a part of you. I really love being a mom with all its ups and downs, exhaustion, joys, and ...
Bud [Poem]
Opening, pushing through budding, birthing the cold has done its work. Growth under surface harboring, planning then release. ...