• Motherhood - Slices of Life

    Motherhood’s early years: Why It’s Hard

    The other day I was browsing the aisles of a local thrift shop — not that I need another thing, but since many of our things are in a storage unit, on more than one occasion recently, I’ve needed to pick up an item or two.  This time, of all things, I needed a cake pan.   I didn’t find what I needed, but the trip was more than edifying. An eager, loving young boy was pointing out to his mother all the things he would like to buy for her and telling how nice they would be in her…

  • Homemaking - Letters to my Sisters - Slices of Life - Titus2

    The Next Right Thing

    Over the years I’ve used a phrase numerous times in all sorts of seasons, mental spaces, homemaking, motherhood, even on this blog — the phrase: do the next right thing.  This concept wasn’t learned overnight and it wasn’t learned easily.  It wasn’t something that came naturally to me — as disciplines of motherhood didn’t come naturally to me. But, from the beginning, God was working in me to will and to work for His good pleasure. –Philippians 2.13. Day by day He has been working disciplines into my life and I share these things with you that you might experience the same:…

  • Faith - More Slices of Life - my story - Woman to Woman

    The Gathering

    The gathering happened and afterward I returned home again  to my warm, comfortable, familiar, safe haven.  Now, nearly two weeks later, I look back with heartfelt gratefulness.  It was such a stretch for me, but I’m so glad I met the people I did and am thankful for the messages that were shared. Over the years I’ve headed women’s ministries, Bible studies, retreats, and other church events. So I totally get the gatherings deal and the sincerest efforts to create a space where women will gather, feel the love, be ministered to, and not feel like they’re on the outside.…

  • Devotionals - More Slices of Life

    Your Sphere of Influence

    Your sphere of influence is broader than your sphere of acquaintance… have you ever stopped to think about that? Maybe you have never given much personal thought to the influence of your own life; maybe you think your mundane life, your seemingly menial work, doesn’t have much impact around you. But your daily walk, the investments you make in your home, family, prayer, work, church, etc., etc., are likely having a much greater impact than you can possibly imagine. We never know who is watching us—who will be affected by our actions—who will be influenced by our decisions, our faith,…

  • More Slices of Life - my story

    Jumping Off The High Dive

    Now, many decades ago, I climbed the steep steps up to the high dive at our local community pool in Southern California where I was raised. I’d been swimming most all my life (it was a given that most all the homes had a swimming pool) and from a young age I was able to dive and do back flips, etc., off the diving board. I wasn’t afraid of the water or the depth of pools.  But the high dive was daunting. So high. I don’t recall how long it took me to muster the courage to mount those steps…

  • Devotionals - Faith

    Hindsight Isn’t 20/20

    You’ve heard the saying — probably have said it yourself from time to time: “Hindsight’s 20/20!”  When looking back on what you did, what you shouldn’t have done, or what you’re sure you ought to have done, could have done, would have done… you may have reasoned a better outcome with your 20/20 hindsight vision.  But it’s a lie.  Hindsight isn’t 20/20. Hindsight isn’t 20/20 bcz we don’t know what God knows.  You don’t know if you would have had a perfect outcome had you been able to exercise your now perfect 20/20 hindsight bcz you couldn’t have known all…

  • Morning Coffee ☕ - my story - Potpourri - Slices of Life

    Thanks Giving Is Here

    [cp_dropcaps]T[/cp_dropcaps]hanksgiving is here, I heard someone exclaim. And one might immediately wonder how it came so quickly again this year.  I mull this over (and, yes, I do marvel that another Thanksgiving is already upon us), I think: Is Thanks-giving here? I mean… here, here.  Here in my heart, here in my life, here in my thoughts and in my words. I stop and take a mental inventory of my days of late. How thankful have I been–or have I displayed thankfulness at all? Is thanks g-i-v-i-n-g a characteristic plainly obvious in my life? Is thanks giving part of my…

  • Journal - More Slices of Life - Morning Coffee ☕

    Drawing a blank

    Those shots are blanks. They roar at us or past us, but they're blanks.  God's mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness is above the heavens.  I may feel wounded by the shots of those blanks, but I mustn't think they'll destroy me -- I must take those thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.

  • Slices of Life - Society

    You can’t afford to not pay attention.

    I know. The last entry I wrote was 7 months ago. Hounded by voices that tell me I’ve lost mine, by regrets that prevent me moving forward, and various time/emotional demands that drain creativity, I come to my blog and draw a blank — or am shot with one. But… again, here I am. I love to write. I love this platform. I love the connections it’s given me through the years. And I love that the Lord has given me a whole bunch more time and has absolutely dumped His great mercy and grace over me every day of…

  • Gardening - Slices of Life

    Autumn Days

    The lazy, hazy days of summer are giving way to the busy, hurry, scurry days of autumn as the new “school year” begins and demanding schedules and activities fill the calendar.  You know the first thing that comes to mind as I consider these upcoming autumn days? Where’d summer go? It came and went so fast.  Sort of like motherhood (but that’s another topic for another day). Did you complete the plans and projects you had for summertime?  Me neither.  But there’s still time to get a few things done before the time comes to put away all the outdoor…