We had a science project fail this week and it reminded me of one year in middle school when my experiment failed right before the school science fair. I scrambled to do a new project at the last minute and while I managed to put together a decent substitute, it was definitely not my best… Continue reading How to Be a Failure

Our recent celebration of Toby’s 12th birthday caused me to reflect on his earliest days. On the morning Toby was born, I looked out the window to find large excavation equipment in our backyard.  We lived right behind the church where Ian was pastoring, and that was the day they broke ground on a new… Continue reading He Knows the Plans…

I followed Ian into the church yesterday to look at some items for a few upcoming projects.  The piano came into view as soon as I walked into the building. Since I find the temptation of an open hymn book on a piano impossible to resist, I sat down and played through a hymn.  As… Continue reading Some Things Never Change

Growing up, it nearly always rained when we went camping.  It was truly uncanny and I am pretty sure we ended some seasons of drought by choosing to take a camping trip.  Despite this bad luck, we loved camping and being in the woods as a family and went camping fairly often. Due to this,… Continue reading Camping Weather

“Look at my picture, Mommy.  It’s really good for a five-year-old!”  Those words were from Hannah a few minutes after she and I finished examining a magazine page filled with kid drawings.  We had used the same phrase over and over again as we admired the artwork of the talented young artists featured.  I couldn’t… Continue reading An Offering of Grace

“The spring flowers are so brave.”  Those were the reflective words of Clara as she admired the green shoots just beginning to emerge a couple of weeks ago.  With the exception of a few more moments of daylight, there hadn’t been much to welcome these hardy plants as the sun neglected to shine throughout days… Continue reading Being Brave

  “For behold the winter is past; the (snow) is over and gone.  The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.”  Song of Solomon 2:11-12 The anticipation of spring is one of my favorite events.  I love pausing to search… Continue reading Embracing the Moments

One thing I have enjoyed about being a pastor’s wife is having a front row seat to the growth and development of Ian’s preaching.  I have been able to watch him through his first experience as an intern in seminary to the trial sermon he preached as he interviewed with his first church and on… Continue reading Finding Faithfulness

I didn’t start my day in a bad mood, but as all but one of my children woke up expressing their grumps, I started to feel aggravation creep into my heart.  My initially peaceful, content mood was quickly being conformed to the downcast mood around me.  My issuing of consequences and breaking up of fights… Continue reading Toothbrush Dance Party

I have come to admire her more with each interaction.  She has an honesty that is refreshing, a wit that is charming, and a grace that pulls you in with an easy feeling of comfort and acceptance.  It was after church fellowship and I found myself seated right by her side; me with a small… Continue reading In This Sacred Moment