An Espresso Machine Between the Eyes
Recently, my sister and I met in a Scandinavian bakery on a snowy night. Huge snowflakes covered our cars within minutes, and I laughed as I tried to catch snowflakes on my tongue while walking in. Partway through the night, fearful shrieks and a hissing noise cut through the calm cafe. The espresso machine was malfunctioning dangerously…
Did Tigers Eat Your Food?
For several years I have dreamed about hosting a neighborhood open house, and wondered about the best way to make that happen. This month, after praying about it for a while and talking with my husband, we just planned it. I hand-delivered invitations last week to the ten or so houses in our circle. Last…
Forested Parking Lots and Crowded Adventures
They barely fit into the five seater Saturn now. Long legs, broad shoulders and gangly arms elbow gently into each other, as my teens settle in comfortably. Their preschool brother is close by in a generational blue tufted car seat. This Saturday, I was squirming excitedly in the front seat, and they were tucked in…
Ambushed!
December sneaks up on me, I admit. I savor the vivid autumn colors of October and November, sniffing appreciatively the crisp fall air, scented with wood fires and red leaves. Thanksgiving pumpkins and pies have barely faded for me when Christmas hits. Suddenly all the stores and radios are counting down the days until Christmas,…
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Afternoon
“Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 42:10)
Castles, Sieges, Propagandas of Fear
The king ran out of his palace, racing through the ancient city. Already his people looked demoralized and afraid. Violent skirmishes and battle losses were everyday news now. All of his kingdom’s cities had been taken except this last city –his city, Jerusalem. The Assyrians had stopped their armies 30 miles away and were employing…
Jazz, Prayers, and a Translation in Progress
Quiet jazz music flows around me at the kitchen table here tonight. Hot water in my favorite mug warms and relaxes me. Three year old Daniel just downed two yogurts. “I hungry, Mom,” he had declared earlier. I love being a mom: hearing his requests, striving to meet them if they are good for him,…
Turkey Travelers: Heroes in Disguise
Snow lines my front steps, nestles into my leaf-strewn grass, and clings icily to the streets, creating new adventures for my novice stick-shift-driving skills. Striding into the grocery store, I hear the metal clanging of the season’s first Salvation Army bell ringers. Minutes later, the pie tins and pecan pie ingredients in my grocery…
Mornings, Trains, and Crimson Cherry Tea
Toppling brightly-colored blocks, winding wooden train tracks, and engaging in occasional property disputes, my youngest plays happily alongside his older cousins. The next generation of kids are willowy grown up teens, who can drive away for shopping runs, and descend into the basement for music jam sessions. Guitar, piano, voice and violin meld in worship…
A Gash Transplanted, Beauty Unfurls
“I haven’t seen them bloom yet. I don’t know what color they’ll be,” she said. Fragile velvety African violet plants were balanced in the hands of a fragile, soft-cheeked grandma from my church. “Would you like some?” Yes, please. I was honored to have two of them. After decades in a home that they built,…