I crept up quietly to the wooden shelves piled high with books. My finger caressed the spines of old, leather classics, smooth, new hardbacks, and dusty paperback books. My finger stopped on Little Women and I eased it out, leaving a hole where the book had once been. Grabbing a pillow and tucking my […]
MoreThursday, June 7th, marks the five year anniversary of my Nana Pat’s passing. Each year, I have approached this day with dread, stirring back up all the emotions that I felt leading to her death. Each year, I have noticed the blaring, gaping hole of her missing presence. Each year, I have mourned. I have […]
MoreWhat brings you joy? How do you celebrate life? The past few months I have been inspired by The Life Giving Home by Sally & Sarah Clarkson and the 2014 – 2015 “HopeWriters” podcasts with Emily Freeman, Gary Morland, and Myquillyn Smith. Woven throughout their words, is the beauty and peace of celebrating and honoring […]
MoreAs I scrolled through social media, I saw posts of beautiful bouquets of flowers, words of affirmation, adventurous and romantic dates, huge stuffed animals, delicious candies, jewelry… all things I did not have. All things that honestly would only be momentary and then gather dust, die, or go away. But I wanted them. I wanted […]
MoreUnloved. Unappreciated. Unprotected. Unvaluable. Dispensable. These are all lies that I have believed about myself this week. On Wednesday morning, without a single warning, I was pulled into the office at school and told heartbreaking news. Due to changes in staff and needs present at other schools, I would no longer be able to […]
MoreIs your life marked by celebration? You know — parties, dancing, laughter, cake, confetti… the whole works. Or maybe for you — a quiet dinner, a day trip to the mountains, or maybe… just maybe, allowing yourself time to sleep in or to read a good book? Celebration. Are you taking the time to truly […]
MoreI wanted my life, no matter how ordinary, routine, empty, or dark — to always be about searching for and savoring the smiles to be found in the cup!
More
