We gathered in the living room, this first Sunday of Advent, our just-delivered, two-days-fresh-from-Oregon fir tree filling the house with its sweet-spicy scent that says “Christmastime” like no other. Bright flames danced in the fireplace, and our mom danced a little too as she strung the lights about the tree to a Christmas concert of […]
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Shall We Dance?
My family and I had so much fun tonight. My sister dancing around–a few years ago. 🙂 Then my sister started showing us her dance routines from her community college classes leading up to performances in December. She put music on, and our dad started dancing around too, and then our parents showed us the […]
History in Hand
It might have been a sad time, the sorting through of my grandma’s things. And sometimes it may be. But though the grief and trials and uncertainties of daily life would soon encroach again, in that evening of digging and discovering and sharing—aunt, uncle, cousin, my parents and sister and I—we found treasures, memories, and […]
As a Child
Laughter peppered our ride in the family car to my grandma’s graveside servicelast week—thanks in large part to my little four-and-a-half year old cousin. Her dimpled smiles, dark curls escaping her French braid, and innocent comments helped bring out the joy God was giving us amid grief. “What did one ocean say to the other […]
‘Twixt Time and Eternity
That’s where it feels like we’ve been, these past three weeks of my grandma’s transition from life to death, from earth to heaven. It’s been a bit of a blur, and with the funeral over, all still seems a bit unreal. During the week at the hospital, and especially the nine days after she came […]
The Valley of the Shadow
Yea, though I walk through the valley Of the shadow of death I will fear no evil For Thou art with me Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23 has taken on new—or perhaps old—and precious meaning for my family this past week and a half, as we have been walking with […]
Sisters
We watched the home video last night: a tiny, pink faced bundle cradled in loving arms…the bewildered cries of a newborn…proud grandparents arriving to see and hold…a ten-year-old Kiersti crying tears of joy for the first time in her life. Seventeen years ago, my baby sister was my dream come true, an only-child’s years-long prayer […]
Story-Spinner
My family spent this past weekend in Solvang, a town begun in 1911 by Danish immigrants to California seeking to keep their culture alive in their new home. As the great-great-granddaughter of Danish immigrants myself, I delighted in learning a bit more about my ancestry…even gained the possible seed of a new story to simmer […]
A Bit o’ the Irish
Top o’ the mornin’ to ye! ‘Tis St. Paddy’s day, it is, and I’m celebratin’ a wee bit o’ me Irish heritage. Aye, for though this stab at an Irish way o’ talkin’ might well pain the ears o’ any current sons an’ daughters o’ Eire, I’ve got more Irish blood in me veins than […]
A Time to Love
My blogging schedule may be a little different during the Christmas season–possibly more often, and probably not strictly Tuesdays and Fridays. Just so you know. 🙂 For much of my growing up years, one of our stand-by Christmas cassettes was Psalty’s Christmas Calamity. (Any 1980’s-born readers raised on Psalty the Singing Songbook out there?) I’m […]