I stood at the stove cooking bacon when a familiar rattle interrupted my thoughts. I had thrown my coverlet in the washer just a few minutes prior to firing up the stove, and the sound alerted me to something I knew to be a real possibility when washing the over-sized blanket. The screen on…… Continue reading When Life Feels Like an Unbalanced Load
“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
Immature. Cranky. Obsessive. Silly. I’ve been assigned these labels over the course of my years, and I can own them all. In fact, I may even be comfortable with them. I mean, isn’t it just easier to be the person you’ve always been; to walk in the path already cleared and worn – to embrace an identity others expect? I…… Continue reading A Tale of Two Identities
Intimacy frightens me. Being brave–being vulnerable–sharing weakness—no.way. Exposure is scary. Trust is required and I have not been super adept in that department. Beth Moore, in her study Living Free, refers to the “be strong, be independent” philosophy that was authored by satan. The one that sounds like, “no, I’m fine…I can manage this on my own.” Self…… Continue reading Tiptoeing Toward Vulnerability
“Read the Bible in 90 days”, they said. “It’s going to be great,” they said. “Just read, don’t try to cross-reference,” they said. And I said, “are they crazy?” No, I said YES! Y’all-in order to read the Bible in 90 days-you have to read 12 pages a day. That seemed easy enough. Ha! Reading…… Continue reading A Beautifully-Rewarding Challenge
The question was light-yet poignant. Our speaker, a dear mentor and friend, asked this question as she held up an adorable pair of cow house shoes. She went on to explain that the night before she put them on for the first time. One slipper felt great…but the other, huh. She couldn’t comfortably get her…… Continue reading What’s Stuck In Your Shoe?
rubble: waste or rough fragments of stone, brick, concrete, etc., esp. as the debris from the demolition of buildings. Broken bits and pieces of anything, as that which is demolished. Whether from a natural disaster or an accident, it makes no difference. Owners return to the site of the disaster and search for anything of…… Continue reading Sifting Through the Rubble
My first vivid memory of selfish behavior was in first grade. The classroom was dark-we were supposed to be outside playing. I crept into the room and went straight for my teacher’s desk. There I found the small box containing paper boy and girl cut outs. I quickly shuffled the cut outs around until…… Continue reading Umerited Favor
With great expectation he asked and believed that his mother was listening. When we arrived at his birthday party, he enthusiastically pointed out one package and told me he knew what it was. “How?” I asked him. His response was simple…“Because I showed my mom what I wanted and it was this shape!” His words…… Continue reading Close Enough to Ask
He was a sitting duck. Alone. Separated from the pack, and always at risk of attack. His name was David. I was 8 years old when we first met. We were grade school classmates. I can’t remember all the details of his story, and now in hindsight, I’m not sure I can remember much more than…… Continue reading Motivated by Hurt
Alyssa DeLosSantos 