It transformed how I viewed turning forty, but it started as an ordinary field trip to the local nature center with my son’s preschool class a few years ago. A room full of curious four-year-olds, a handful of parents, and a few teachers listened to the volunteer from the nature center explain the process of making maple syrup. Two interesting…
Sometimes I feel prayer is like playing Go Fish. I ask for what I want. If I get it, I ask for something else – encouraged God heard and answered. But if I don’t get it, it can feel like what I’m told in the game: Go Fish. Select the next card from the draw pile – do the next…
I Want It All – My Writing Goal to Be a Decent Person by Pearl Allard This post was first featured on the Breathe Christian Writers Conference blog. You already know all that — that reflecting over last year and making goals is a good way to dive into the New Year — but maybe this year isn’t starting the…
In conversation with a friend, once, I made a comment about learning to embrace how I operate. I’m slower (but more thorough) to process and sometimes struggle to do what seems to come easily to many (which makes me a good teacher, after the fact). I don’t move at lightning speed (keeps me humble), and I’m not a model multi-tasker…
I remember tales of long ago: a pastor wounded my red-lipstick-wearing-aunt with words indicating he more or less equated red lipstick with the devil. Wearing red lipstick meant you followed the devil. And thus, you must be treated as though you were the devil. Doesn’t make for a let’s-all-praise-Jesus-together atmosphere, you know? I’m grateful this doesn’t seem to be the…
I still remember an interesting act from an elementary school talent show between two characters, “dear Henry” and “dear Liza.” If you know the children’s song, you already know Henry tells his dear Liza, “There’s a hole in my bucket.” And dear Liza answers quite practically, “Then mend it, dear Henry!” And he asks her, “With what shall I mend…
Blood and guts aren’t my thing. I hate scary movies, and I don’t go into haunted houses. I don’t like most science fiction. But the following is a true story. Back in the pre-kids days, I worked in an office. My boss grew up in the country and joked that Chicago city folk vacationing in our region only saw real…
