Almost Spring!

Almost Spring!

Looking out my classroom window at the greying hues found in the seamless connection between the sidewalk and the cloudy sky, I hear the birds making an announcement. Despite this week’s official arrival, Spring has been working its way up from the ground since...
Letting Go of Billy Graham

Letting Go of Billy Graham

It’s not easy to imagine life in America without Billy Graham. He served as a comforting blanket of trustworthiness and faith in the highest corridors of power and some of the least visible places on earth. He moved through doors freely and as long as he walked...
Polar Plunging in the New Year!

Polar Plunging in the New Year!

As the LARGE bearded men gathered in their white robes on the beach of Lake Michigan, I had second thoughts. We’ve attended the January 1st Polar Bear Plunge over the years and laughed at the pounds of searing red flesh exiting the water and half naked people of all...

All Creation Waits, Book Review

(Greenhouse teacher Debbie Gottlieb won the book! Thanks everyone for reading. I always keep the comments private:) In the book, All Creation Waits, Gayle Boss presents the hidden work of 24 animals as they wait for the return of spring. In a combined effort of art,...

Gratitude to the End

I wrote this piece for the October issue of The Redbud Post magazine which is all about how cancer does not need to have the final say in our lives. This post is a tribute to our dear friend John Fawcett who was the worship leader of our church until he died of cancer...

Summer Reading – Not Required

Every year my favorite professor from college sends out her Christmas letter which includes her book list. I like knowing what she is reading because it reassures me that there is hope for the future of America. She is an octogenarian who still teaches college...
Is an Artistic Community Right for You?

Is an Artistic Community Right for You?

https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2017/05/18/meet-women-building-community-christian-writers This article was written for America magazine by Judith Valente and it might be helpful in sparking ideas about the benefits of creating in community vs. going it...

Making Marriage Beautiful

I often thank God for blessing my life with a joyful, sacred marriage for 27 years. People say that building a strong marriage takes work and effort. In some sense that is true. Self-control is a virtue that I push myself to exhibit when my husband leaves his socks by...