Last year—2017—was a hard year for me. Looking back, I view it as my Great Year of Deconstruction. Belief systems and false idols I’d established for myself came crashing down around me, and I was forced to take a hard look at everything I thought I knew and believed about myself and my world. I… Continue Reading
To quote Charleston’s current favorite phrase, “Oh. My. Gosh!” December was quite a month! I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling so glad that it happened, and also slightly relieved that it’s coming to an end. I love the Christmas season (as you will clearly see in this post) and this year we made the… Continue Reading
You hear that? It’s the collective sigh of parents everywhere, relieved that we have survived the madness of Christmas and can now turn our attention to the business of wrapping up this year. I kid. I love Christmas and am always sad to see it end. But I also love end-of-year wrap-ups and best-of lists,… Continue Reading
Who or what is the most important voice speaking into your life today? Is it a friend, a spouse, a teacher, a pastor, the Lord? Hold an image of that individual in your mind for a moment, pondering their significance. Now, imagine that that voice—of your friend, spouse, pastor, teacher, God—has suddenly vanished. Where… Continue Reading
“Christmas is a bridge. We need bridges as the river of time flows past. Today’s Christmas should mean creating happy hours for tomorrow and reliving those of yesterday.” ~ Gladys Taber Continue Reading
On Monday I shared my twelfth and final book review for my 2018 Reading Challenge. This was the third consecutive year that I’ve participated in a personal Reading Challenge (here’s 2017 and 2016), and it was a highlight of my reading life in 2018. Just for fun, let’s take one last look at the categories I chose… Continue Reading
“When I was younger, I always thought life would be mostly good with some hard parts. But I’m starting to realize it’s the other way around. Life is actually mostly hard, with some good parts sprinkled in.” I nodded in agreement when I heard Annie F. Downs say this in a recent podcast interview. I… Continue Reading
Like most readers, my introduction to book awards came through those shiny Caldecott stickers adorning the covers of the books our school librarian read to us during our weekly library visits. I liked those books, I truly did, but they were never favorites. Even as a child, I came to associate those circular silver and… Continue Reading
“We must know the truth, we must love the truth we know and we must act according to the measure of our love. Truth is God himself who cannot be known apart from love and cannot be loved apart from surrender to his will.” ~ Thomas Merton Continue Reading
Today’s Quick Lit post is my last one for 2018, and we’re ending on a high note. There are some excellent books in this batch, with plenty to discuss. Let’s dive in! Becoming Mrs. Lewis, by Patti Callahan: I remember when C. S. Lewis first became a personal hero of mine. I was in sixth grade… Continue Reading