That moment when you run… not because someone told you to, not for any tangible benefit, not to prove anything to anyone (not even yourself). But simply for the sheer joy of surging through the grass, under the sky, alive in this moment. When every cell of your being trembles with the present. When you…Read more Racing for Joy
Art
One Pebble… Thousands of Ripples
I wrote this entry for the Hope's Promise blog about my dear friends, Brian and Debbie Lee. Decades ago, when I was a twenty-something campus staffworker with InterVarsity, they were leading teams of students to serve in Kenya. One summer they brought back necklace gifts with little hand-carved bone pendants for all the staff. As…Read more One Pebble… Thousands of Ripples
The Deaf Dog Who Heard What Matters
Strange that I would start painting again, after falling off into deep discouragement earlier this year, with Henry as my subject. But Henry was truly special. He was completely deaf. In a household clattering with four active kids, that was a blessing for him. And in a family with special needs kids, his disability endeared…Read more The Deaf Dog Who Heard What Matters
Sheer Gift – the Power of Art
The expectation of spending time with a dear friend and a mission of creativity already promised a portal to magic. Then we stepped inside Jives Coffee Shop in Old Colorado City to the strains of a violin and the glow of warm, golden wood. And I was transported into sheer gift. Nine am on a…Read more Sheer Gift – the Power of Art
When Your Child Leaves Home
The experts say: when your child is moving away from home, don't let your him or her see you cry! Smile with your child; cry with other parents. I tried to follow their advice, I really did. I rarely cry; but one recent day, with two of my sons' departures to out-of-state locations less than…Read more When Your Child Leaves Home
Always Held
For Lilia, my children, and the many others around the world who ache for a different beginning... This is what really happened... You slip into the world raw and trembling, aching for tender touch. But instead, the one you most long for walks away. You huddle there, vulnerable in an abandoned building, or a slum…Read more Always Held
The Lies Artists Battle
Sometime in January, my heart froze over. I just gave up, like when a blizzard hits and you cancel all your plans, resigned to curl up with your book and your cup of coffee. Like a glazed creek covered in white that refuses to move, I stopped even feeling the desire to paint. The perfect…Read more The Lies Artists Battle
