A Seamless Tunic

Growing up with a mom who is a seamstress, you inadvertently absorb some of their processes; well at least I did. I was always amazed at how skeins of fabric, combined with thread, notions, scissors, and sweat equity could produce a finished garment. If my mom was making a dress, she always started with a pattern. The pattern jacket displayed the finished product and the inside contained detailed instructions with pattern pieces. I also remember her spreading the fabric on the table, laying and pinning the pattern pieces on the fabric, and cutting them out. Then the magic happened.

She followed those directions from the pattern, connecting piece A with piece B until she had a dress, a shirt, a skirt or

Tap Tap Tap

I have a love-hate relationship with my dentist. I hate hearing the drill when fixing a cavity or the inordinate amount of time I have to keep my mouth open or X-rays. I dislike deep cleaning. I hate getting the first shot of anesthesia to numb my gums. But I do it all because a beautiful smile is worthwhile (to me). Teeth are one of the first things I notice when I meet a person.

Twenty years ago, I suffered a traumatic accident where my front teeth were damaged. My wonderful dentist (at the time) fixed my teeth so my smile looked as original as possible. But the work she did was temporary. Recently I've had to go through a series of procedures to permanently fix my smile.

SEEDS

These days I feel as if I'm planting seeds waiting to see when they will blossom. Other days I've reaped the bounty from the seeds I've planted, especially as I look at my children. I've also seen it in smaller interactions. The thing is when you plant seeds, they're so small you sometimes forget that you've planted them. And then you see a lonely neighbor who always pauses to speak with you because she enjoys your company. You've sown into her. Or you receive an email that magnifies your contributions to the team, although, to you, there were minuscule. Again you're using what God gave you to honor Him. SEEDS.

Guest Post - Growing Well by Cheryl Holmes

I met Cheryl virtually via the Beloved Women website, where I'm a regular contributor.

When I saw her devotional, I smiled because this verse has meant so much to me. It's part of Jesus' last words to His disciples, which I've shared in my book The Comfort of Night.

Cheryl Holmes is first and foremost a believer! She believes in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. She lives in rural Southwest Louisiana with her pastor husband of almost 32 years and is the proud mother of two adult children. She is also a grandmother, a daughter, and the youngest sister of seven siblings.

Simply put, she loves the Lord, loves His Word, and has come to love sharing His Word by way of pen and paper.  "I am richly blessed beyond measure by every opportunity the Lord gives me to re-present Him, as I serve, as I encourage, and as I inspire others." 

Read on. I hope you are encouraged by Cheryl's words. 

What I've Learned from Marriage and Motherhood

“Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew? Cover it with chocolate and a miracle or two?  The Candy Man…. The Candy Man can. The candy man can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good.” I first heard the Sammy Davis version of this song on the radio and sang it to myself often. I never realized that I would have my own version of a popular candy: M&M’s®.

A Popular Candy

M&M’s themselves began as a reproduction of a foreign candy, named after two candy makers whose fathers were both candy magnates – Forrest Mars and Bruce Murrie. While abroad, Forrest Mars Sr. noticed British soldiers eating small, pill-sized candies called Smarties, made of a chocolate center and a hard candy shell. He was shocked to see that the candies held up in the summer heat and were small and easy to transport. Armed with his new knowledge, he moved back to the states to claim his spot in his father’s company. He secured a patent for the

How To Have Zen-like Peace

The phone rang. By the time the conversation was over, it felt like someone knocked the air out of my chest. Before I answered the phone I was happy, content. I noted that I had a zen-like peace. It was strange because there were anxious circumstances around me – family, job, relationships. I was beginning to revel in this feeling of peace which defied any human understanding.

After the phone call, the brick on my chest was painfully palpable. It hurt to breathe. But I had to keep going. I made some panicked phone calls then walked around the block with my husband. I started to beat myself up, wondering what role I played in this outcome. I came up empty. Then I started to ask why. The why seemed loud initially, but that zen-like peace wouldn’t disappear; it

The Year In Review - 2020 Edition

Hindsight is 2020. With that sentiment in mind, reflection for growth, I've decided to do this post. 

On New Years Day 2020, I had friends over for an old-fashioned get-together. Remember those? They are my favorite form of hanging out. The beauty of this day was seeing our children, all at varying stages,  playing with board games and talking with each other. The TV was off, and it was not missed. It felt like a scene from another time, and I thought this may be the start of a new tradition. Well, that won't be happening this year, thanks to Corona, but I'm not mad. 

Because as Corona reared its ugly head, I remember being asked what's one word that comes to mind as you navigate this new reality; I replied fortification. At the time, I felt I was being

The Sound of New Beginnings

As a little girl in the Caribbean, I never experienced the distinctive beauty of four seasons. So in my fertile imagination as an avid reader, I imagined what each season was like and how I would experience it if given a chance. When my family moved to New York in the spring of 1978, with its promise of new beginnings came my opportunity to confirm my thoughts about the seasons.

When we emigrated, there was nothing spring-like about that time of year except the calendar, since New York had recently experienced one of the worst snowstorms in its history. I distinctly remember the cold, being woefully underdressed and ultimately frostbitten. I saw other kids playing outside at recess though there were piles of melting snow around the playground and instantly decided that spring was not what I envisioned and therefore it was not for me.

Practical Proverbs - A Chapter a Day Challenge

Most things done well require discipline; the Christian life is not exempt from this.
One aspect that requires discipline is Bible reading. The Bible is God's word and in order to get to know Him and how to live, we've got to read it. After reading, we must apply it to our lives to reap the benefit. After all, we know too many people who can quote the Bible, but their lives do not reflect its application.

I wanted to challenge myself, as well as you dear reader to read the Bible daily. One of the best places to start is the book of Proverbs. With thirty one (31) chapters - one chapter for each day of the month - this book is the perfect addition to any daily reading. Proverbs talks about every imaginable basic aspect of life - love, parenting, money, sex, God, relationships. It instructs on business, public policy, government, and family. It’s the best counsel in the whole world and it's free! (Luis Palau, Changed by Faith, 2011)

Here's how the challenge will work:
• I'll post a link to the chapter for that day - (I will not post the chapter)
• After reading each chapter, I will highlight passages and provide potential application or examples from my life or both.
• We will do this for the month of May.

I am entering this challenge prayerfully, with the expectation that new things will be learned that will make us better people.

Won't you join me? (Please leave a comment, if you're committing to the challenge).