“I have good news and bad news.” As I drove the stretch of road, I struggled to make sense of his words…the diagnosis, suggested course of treatment, and steps of immediate action. Osteo~what? I hung up the phone and attempted to sort out the information the doctor shared—understanding would have to come later. Then it hit…… Continue reading Clean Out the Wound
With the last push {in my final delivery}, I believe I birthed my brain. Honestly. She said placenta which must have been code for: recall, memory, and all connected, logical thoughts. I track random pieces of fuzz adrift in my house. I stop to pick split ends {for 5 minutes and sometimes much longer} in the…… Continue reading Divided Attention
The rodeo–always a fun {slightly concerning} family affair. On a recent trip, while watching the mutton busting, cue obnoxious cheering that embarrassed our teenagers {parent win}, and shamelessly adoring the little darlings holding on for dear life–I couldn’t help but notice the sheep {already ridden} congregating in a corner of the large arena. It was fascinating and…… Continue reading Ears to Hear and the Will to Follow
Blindsided. Never saw it coming. Ever uttered those words? There is deep vulnerability assumed in such responses–evidenced by the undertone of surprise. I like to plan–you know–keep things nice and tidy. If possible, I’d do this with every area of my life. Emotions, faith, disappointments, friendships, etc. Keep things under control. A few weekends ago, while attending…… Continue reading A Story, A Question and A Crossroad
We all have one. It shapes our decisions and perceptions. Our relationship filters include them. Backstory: a narrative providing a history or background context… Without discipline, knowledge of another’s backstory can lead to prejudices, or unwarranted judgments. In selfishness–or self-preservation–we can use another’s backstory to justify our own actions. For example, if you happen to feel…… Continue reading Backstory
It was the intersection of my guilt and the Lord’s prompting. My breathing became shallow and my heart thumped wildly. With everything in me, I didn’t like where this was leading. It’s a moment I won’t soon forget. Jesus was directing me to confess my failure—to Him…and to someone I wronged. Confession. There’s something we…… Continue reading The Liberating Power of Confession
Her words suggested an elaborate plan. My mind flooded with caveats. If you have a pulse, you’ve noticed the extensive planning of proposals today. Our youth are inviting each other to homecoming, prom, on a date, etc. with big productions (posters presented in public places, signs that cover houses, etc.). My prom invitation, received in the…… Continue reading Just Ask
You shouldn’t ask us to fish-sit. We are not reliable. We’ve had 3 (count them aloud 1, 2, 3) beta fish that are no longer. Don’t laugh…let me explain. Beta fish number one: his name was Rico. He was adopted into our family when I married my husband. Our big kids were young and just…… Continue reading Fish Tales and Parasite Problems
Not long ago, while riding in the car with my husband, my youngest son posed a curious question. He asked, “What is an angel-omie?” My husband contemplated his question and grappled with the origin of the inquiry. My son directed his father back to the song playing on the radio and then he understood. Chris Tomlin…… Continue reading Between the Dashes
I stared at the giant, broken Lego set and secretly hoped to find a way out of “repairing” it. Although I didn’t have a hand in its original creation, I previously performed emergency surgery. With this particular robot, or machine, or {who knows what it is}–parts just seemed to consistently fall off! So, I did…… Continue reading Broken, Leftover Pieces
Alyssa DeLosSantos 