“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV) Every January, I choose a word for the year. Sometimes it comes to me quickly, and other times I struggle to find it. Once I decide on the word, I carry it into the new…
My dad was reading the eulogy at my great aunt’s funeral when it happened: the slip of the century. It sent us all into peals of laughter. A pair of sisters had married a pair of brothers. One of those couples became my grandparents; the other never had any children of their own and thereby…
January is no longer a time when I lament who I haven’t yet become. Instead, I am choosing radical acceptance both for who I am and who I am becoming. I have not gotten here quickly or easily; rather, this is a hard-earned, always evolving lens through which I’m learning to frame my story. I’m…
I love a good pumpkin spice latte. But as soon as I take my first sip of one in early- to mid- September, my brain and body begin feeling as if they’re being forcibly dragged to the end of the calendar year—and with increasing urgency. By October 1, the holiday season is here for most…
Envy is defined as “a feeling of discontent and resentment aroused by another’s desirable possessions or qualities, accompanied by a strong desire to have them for oneself.” Envy is equally damaging to all parties involved, the perpetrator as well as the object of envy. I think that envy, more than any other emotion, takes our…
When I was growing up, my family went on a handful of car trips every year, usually visiting grandparents or cousins. With no more technology than a cassette tape player available to entertain myself, I filled the long rides to Florida or North Carolina with Mad Libs, mixed tapes, cross stitch projects, books, and family…