The tall, imposing cabinet would make a wonderful wardrobe passage to Narnia in a stage play of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Our huge cherry entertainment center fought for space with the new sofas we added to the living room; it demanded notice and changed comfortable into crowded. After donating our past-its-prime monstrosity, we purchased another entertainment center. The shorter, light-colored piece creates a new look and magically enlarges the space—now cozy but not crowded. The room is prettier, more spacious, and it makes me happy. Removing what hinders and adding what refreshes can bring a smile, a…
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The Loving Hands of Christmas
With rounded shoulders, she stooped low to scoop pecans from the leaf-covered ground of the orchard. My maternal grandmother, poor by the world’s standards, shelled pecans with arthritic, age spot speckled hands. She then placed them in dime-store containers and presented them as Christmas gifts. Pain-filled hands laboring to give. My mother created sequined stockings with embroidered names for her grandchildren who raced each year to see them hanging from the mantle. In addition to delighting them with her sewing, Mama’s flour-dusted hands shaped angel biscuits each Christmas morning. Willing hands serving the family. My dad’s hands restocked the…
What’s Hindering Your Gratitude?
Do you buy event or travel tickets early to ensure the best view? Some concert attendees select seating close to the stage, and many frequent fliers prefer a window seat glimpse of the clouds. Years ago, at a rainy college football game, I appreciated the no-umbrellas-in-the-stadium rule because I preferred getting drenched in my poncho rather than having an obstructed view. The way we face life’s circumstances can distort our view of God’s blessings and hinder our gratitude. It’s like watching a stage play from the last row of a large theater. Thankfulness can slip from the fingers of our…
Thanksgiving Ingredients Mixed with Memories
What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food? Mine is a tie between my mother’s apple salad and dressing (which some people refer to as stuffing). In preparation for the holiday, I found her dressing recipe tonight and smiled at the memories of a special day eleven years ago. “The Story of Mema’s Dressing Recipe” and the actual steps are below, along with a suggestion for giving thanks. The Story of Mema’s Dressing Recipe My daughter and I visited my parents’ country home to discover the secret of my mom’s Thanksgiving dressing. The bright blue sky seemed to smile on our venture…
Autumn Rain Blessings
When landscape workers tilled the wrong section of our son’s sloped yard, he prepared to create a new lawn. The salesperson at the feed and seed store recommended immediate planting due to rain in the forecast. My husband and son sowed ryegrass seed onto the upturned soil and topped it with wheat straw. Before they finished, a soft rain began to fall. Although sprinklers provided water for the newly planted seeds on several sunny days that followed, no evidence of growth appeared. In less than a week, however, bright green shoots popped up through the wheat straw. Gentle rain and…