Darkness in a Theater
by Emily Colson This is a guest post by my friend, Emily Colson. After reading the post on her blog, I asked her if we could also post it here. —Colleen We came to see a movie. But I never imagined that we would become the entertainment. Patty and I found our pre-assigned seats and […]
How to Find Light at the End of Your Tunnel
I left the surgery center and sat silently in my car. I wondered if anyone else wanted the world to slow down for just a little while . . . if anyone else wanted to receive some patience and peace—not for long but long enough to sigh or maybe cry; and after the tears to […]
Walking on Thin Ice
A cold front moved through the Midwest not long ago, and it felt like the beginning of a new ice age. The weather reporters warned that an ice storm was approaching, but we all know the news thrives on drama. When I woke up, it was so cold I started looking for Santa. What appeared […]
Making Prayer Simple
It was a typical morning drive to school. My son Jon and I were singing loudly like professionals but with the windows up. In mid-song Jon said, “Mom, look, I see the lights!” Sure enough, about half a mile ahead emergency lights were swirling. Since 2010 when I was in a near-fatal car accident, my […]
What You Need to Make It Home
I had a full-on cry last Friday morning at 11:45. In fact, I sounded like I needed a sinus flush after 15 minutes of bawling. While finishing a fantastic book about hope and repairing our broken lives . . . like patchwork . . . the author spoke of her friend whose disabled son had […]
The Gift of Grace
No one expected him to succeed. He was made fun of in school because of a horrible stuttering problem. His older brother and sister were brilliant; most often he felt like a shadow child rather than a sibling. Though extremely talented, the young shadow boy struggled to speak even one sentence clearly, causing him to […]
God-Worthy
One week before we celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ, I had lunch with my two older children, now ages 19 and 21. We laughed, talked, and enjoyed our time together. After lunch I sat quietly in my study reflecting on the week before their births. I thought back to the swell of my tummy, […]
Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men
It began in August . . . fever, chills, headache, sore throat, swollen glands . . . all the signs and symptoms of the seasonal flu. But no one gets the flu in August, which was reason enough to avoid going to the doctor. School got underway, and the symptoms continued. I tried over-the-counter stuff […]
What Color Is Fall?
I am watching the leaves change in our neighborhood; autumn is abounding, the air is crisp, and the colors of fall have arrived. Fall is nostalgic for me; November includes celebrations of the birth of my first child, Ashley, and my dad’s favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. I recall holding Ashley in my arms for our first Thanksgiving feast […]
What to Do When You’re Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired
I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. I must admit; I am not a great patient. I don’t have time to be sick, and typically, I get cranky rather quickly when I am sick for more than half an hour. Well, it has been a month . . . need I say more? Recently, it […]
Underdogs
I had been sorting through stacks of papers for six hours; it was now 1:00 in the morning. Twelve years of my son Jon’s educational tests, medical reports, teachers’ notes, and therapy summaries—once organized in chronological order—had become stacked in disarray on my study shelves over time. Reviewing twelve years of material is overwhelming for […]
Carpets, Cleaning, and the Key to Calm Stability
It seemed like a good idea at the time. My husband and I have been in our current home for four years, along with five teenagers, their 1,321 friends, and three dogs. When we moved to this house, the carpet was near white-ish with little, colorful flecks dotted about. Note: the carpet had been white-ish […]