My sister, Amy, is a cosmetologist. She once had a boss at a barber shop who daily criticized the women who worked there. “You should wear more make-up,” he’d tell one. “You really need to dye your hair,” he’d tell another. Venting, one of Amy’s coworkers said, “He thinks his opinion is fact!” With that […]
Tag Archives: inspiration
Recently I passed a sign at a nearby recreation center that read: “BALLET BELLY DANCING CLASS!” A tiny remembering part of me lit up inside, whispering, “Maybe you should sign up.” Simultaneously, every other part of me screamed, “Absolutely not! You’d be miserable with embarrassment!” That wee whispering part of me was born the first […]
The first time I heard “Coat of Many Colors” by Dolly Parton, when I was just a girl, it struck me so deeply I began to cry. I ran downstairs, with urgency, to tell my mother how much I loved her. Do you remember that song? Dolly’s family was poor, so someone dropped off a […]
In this New Year, I’ve been slow to step away from the warmth of Christmas into the open expanse of January. It is silly, really, how I think in patterns. I felt somehow safe in the year 2014, because the pattern of that year had been an uplifting one. Now, I am outside its familiar bookends. […]
“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 I was hesitant to go to Australia. Please don’t gasp and call me ungrateful. Label me, instead, with the […]
Some stories end with a moral, but I should begin mine with one: Always be willing to read/edit a book your friend or loved one has written. I read my father-in-law’s novel, set in Tasmania, over a year ago, and because of our literary bond, he decided to take me (along with my husband and […]
Here are some of the things my PawPaw taught me: Never go to bed angry. He told me he and Grammy sometimes stayed up all night, but they never broke this rule. Working crossword puzzles keeps the mind sharp. Get a job! This was his advice to me when I went to college. He said […]
The flurries earlier this month are giving way to snowy pear blossoms. Although the calendar doesn’t reflect it, Texas is kicking off her winter blanket in exchange for spring’s multi-hued quilt. The following is a list of blooms, both literal and figurative, in my garden this month. * Beef stew and tulips, carried in loving arms, through […]
A friend who teaches preschool shared with me her method for correcting misbehaving children. Every morning, before the school day begins, she hugs them. Over time, because they feel loved, their behavior improves. Those children remind me of myself. After almost fourteen years of marriage, my husband has learned that when I’m acting the grumpiest, […]
I am a fan of the children’s book author and illustrator, Tasha Tudor (1915-2008). Several Christmases ago, my sister-in-law blessed me with a video, Take Joy, of Tasha in her house and garden. Since I first watched it, one line in particular has played over and over in my mind. The narrator’s peaceful voice states, […]
A Children's Book World 