Every year I come careening into summer vacation at the breakneck speed of May, and then splat on the sidewalk of June, not entirely unlike a bug splayed on a car windshield. It takes a week or three to get my summer legs underneath me as we recover and ease into some semblance of summer routine. So here I am, posting this more than two weeks later than I had planned. But honestly, besides just being a bit off kilter,…
I knew when I bought the tickets in November that the concert would fall smack dab in one of the most crazy, demanding weeks of the year for me, but I was not about to miss Lauren Daigle live. So I purchased tickets along with my daughter and some of our dear friends. I hardly even had time to anticipate the concert with everything else happening in “Maycember,” but amidst the chaos, and in spite of some unanticipated day-of delays,…
I don’t remember when we actually crossed the threshold from May-is-a-normal-month to May-is-as-crazy-busy-as-December. All I know is that the struggle is real. In an effort to distribute the heavy load of May, it seems like the pace of April has also gradually increased, akin to how Black Friday now spans closer to a month than a single day in November. So maybe it’s no coincidence that gratitude is what came to mind when I was pondering about what simple gift…
In January, I committed to finally reading the unabridged edition of Victor Hugo’s famous novel, Les Misérables. Familiar with the moving story via its stage and film adaptations, I have long wanted to read the book, and I have had a paperback copy sitting on my nightstand for at least two years. But at 1,460 pages, it is an ambitious read, so I have repeatedly set it aside, as if waiting for some perfect time to magically emerge where I…
For part of high school, I was a cheerleader. During that season of life, cheerleading looked like practicing cheers and stunts daily after school and during the summer, suiting up to cheer at games a few times a week, tumbling classes, and team competitions. I haven’t cheered like that for decades, but we all have opportunities to be cheerleaders all the time. It doesn’t require a uniform, a back handspring, or a love of sports. However, it might include dedicating…
A few weeks ago, I was delighted to attend a wedding shower for a beautiful young couple in love, counting down the days until they could solemnize their union. At the same event, I finally got to meet a precious miracle baby that has been a long time coming to her devoted parents. I was thrilled to celebrate these joyful relationships and life events with my loved ones, surrounded by family and friends. Less than 24 hours later, my children…
Two years ago, a friend gave me a beautiful crimson poinsettia for Christmas. I am not a skilled plant caretaker, so it is a huge accomplishment that the poinsettia is even still alive. However, the plant has not bloomed red again. A quick internet search revealed that getting a poinsettia to rebloom requires, by my standards, a rather intensive care regimen. Mine has just been getting by with sunlight and water, and lately the plant is definitely showing some signs…
“Find ways to recognize and remember God’s kindness.” Henry B. Eyring A few days ago I had the chance to consider with a couple of my kids where we had seen the greatness of God in our lives that day. One child saw it in a rec basketball team that came together with everyone’s best efforts in a hard-fought, sportsmanlike game to win by a margin of a single basket. Another saw it in a group of teenagers who have…
Recently, a friend texted me a generous compliment a full week after the event that prompted it. Another friend, recalling some personal aspirations of mine, thought to send me information about an opportunity that I might be interested in. A friendly proprietor remembered my name and a detail about me after only one previous visit to their business. A neighbor made my daughter’s day with an unexpected thank you gift since my child had rendered a small service for their…
Although it’s nearly Valentine’s Day, I am still thinking about Ebenezer Scrooge’s famous words to the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come in Charles Dickens’ classic novella, A Christmas Carol. Confronted with his future prospects, after reviewing his past deeds and their present consequences, Scrooge sees a pressing need to change his ways and fervently vows, “I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, Present, and the…