There is an unwritten law of the kitchen that every home cook knows, even if it never makes it into a recipe card: the first pancake never turns out right.No matter how carefully I mix the batter or how hot I think the pan is, that initial cake is always the test run. It’s pale, … Continue reading The Grace of the First Pancake
Memories
The Miracle in the Salt: How Grace Transforms What We Bring
Standing at the kitchen counter with flour dusting my hands, my son Ryan and I got to talking about the humble pinch of salt sitting in the small dish beside the bowl. I was reminding him that true sourdough—simple as it looks—needs only three basic elements: flour, water, and salt. Working together in the kitchen … Continue reading The Miracle in the Salt: How Grace Transforms What We Bring
Growth Late in Life
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." — Jeremiah 29:13 HEAD KNOWLEDGE VS. HEART RELATIONSHIP: IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO GROW Fresh out of high school, many years ago, I moved to Texas. Before long, I found myself enrolled in college. I didn’t really want to … Continue reading Growth Late in Life
Whispers in the Dark
Grace does not always arrive in a thunderstorm. Sometimes, it begins as a quiet whisper in a room filled with smoke and tears. I once knew a young woman who thought she had to break herself to be loved.She shared her life with a man shadowed by addiction. When the darkness wasn't on him, he … Continue reading Whispers in the Dark
THE JOURNEY TO HERE
This past week, a few different conversations kept circling back to the exact same theme. Then, when I sat down to work on my Bible study homework, there it was again—staring back at me in black and white. That homework was the final push I needed to start writing. I'll admit, sometimes I'm a little … Continue reading THE JOURNEY TO HERE
A Roadmap of Grace
These hands no longer bear the smooth, easy grace of youth. They are marked now by scars, wrinkles, and the quiet, persistent ache of arthritis. But they also bear the indelible signs of a life well-used and deeply loved.They have known the weight of shovel and soil, the heat of the oven, and the rhythmic … Continue reading A Roadmap of Grace
Sipping Coffee, Sensing His Presence
"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." — Psalm 90:14 When I woke this morning, weariness fought me. Like everyone else, I had a long list of obligations waiting on the other side of sleep. But as I lay there, prying … Continue reading Sipping Coffee, Sensing His Presence
The Crown of the Aged: Finding Wonder in a Grandchild’s Smile
"Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the pride of children is their fathers." — Proverbs 17:6Normally, I am tucked into my usual spot on the couch when I hear the soft, unmistakable sound of little footsteps padding down the hallway. On a typical morning, she slips into the room and snuggles up right … Continue reading The Crown of the Aged: Finding Wonder in a Grandchild’s Smile
Finding God in the Little Things 