Like a Child

“Jesus, I hope the kids want to make friends. And, Jesus, make this day the best day ever. Amen.”  Prayer of a four-year-old the night before the first day of pre-school. “Unless you become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of God.”  Jesus quoted in Matthew 18:3 In her mom’s words, this…

September Sighs

Ugh!  It’s time to get up, but the sky is dark gray and claustrophobic.  Apparently, it has sucked all my energy out and left me with its gray emptiness.  Brrrr.  It’s chilly.  How about if I just stay in bed?  No?  Ok, by sheer will I’ll drag myself thru the morning routine and hope my…

Tomatoes and Sons

My friend is in her 70’s, but her enthusiasm for life is inspiring.  She planted 300 tomato plants again this Spring.  If the preceding years are any indication, she and her husband will harvest and sell 6,000 pounds of tomatoes from their home on a busy two lane road in rural Oregon. But entrepreneurship isn’t…

Goals, Guilt, Guts

A few days ago I was driving by a barn.  Immediately I cringed inside.  It isn’t that I don’t like barns.  I cringed because the barn reminded me of an undone project.  I had promised my teenage granddaughter that we’d photograph old barns together.  That familiar, accusing voice hissed- “You  haven’t even started your project…

What I learned from (the first) 6 months in an RV

  We have hit the six-month mark of living in our RV trailer while my husband builds our little retirement house 3,000 miles from our last house.  Another 6 months or more to go.  The first four months we were privileged to park our trailer in our daughter’s yard.  She spoiled us by sharing one…

Asking for It

If you want  it, ask for it.  With respect and directness.  Depending on your personality, you may, like me, fall into the trap of needing something, but not asking.   I’m not honest about my need because I’m unwilling to risk confrontation.  I’m a coward.  However, stuffing desires can lead to inner resentment and bitterness.  Other…