A necessary balance to the shorter and darker days of winter is found in the blazing fireplace, the cheery string of mantle lights and a scented candle, which brighten both space and spirit. Lots of natural light floods the picture window during the cold winter: bare trees, arms outstretched offering only what is necessary, are … Continue reading
“Hey!” I barked, with a furious rap on the window. “Get out of there!” The offender whirled back, black eyes pools of panic. He darted, limbs pumping, careening crazily from the carpet of green across the smooth concrete and into the safety of the neighbor’s yard. He stared; I stared. Beady eyes afar calculated the … Continue reading
Parenting is chronic. Sometimes you need to take a break, lest you lose your everlovin’ mind. Locking yourself into the bathroom alone, or miracle of miracles, stepping outside of the house without the kids, provides a blessed bit of space, which allows you to remember that you do, in fact, love these funny little human … Continue reading
The light has faded, along with its promise, and you, snuggled up under ocean covers – light deepening to purple, hiding the mysteries beneath – hopeful for a bedtime chat. Slats of morning march inevitably across the floor, and with arm flung across your face, you murmur: not quite yet. A mother’s litany grows as … Continue reading
In a season of fullness, to scale back requires faith and work; freedom to fully see. This Haiku was birthed during an online Advent Retreat (put on by Abbey of the Arts).
“Dear Jenny, just a thought, but what if you spent some of the time talking to God that you spend writing to me about boys in your class?” Those words, penned by my camp-counselor-turned-pen-pal, set me on a course of talking with God that has spanned my life to this point. As I grew to … Continue reading
At the Supermarket By Jen Grieshaber (American; b 1976 – ) I stopped in the fruit section and picked up a banana. Anxious shoppers whizzed by, sending shivers of refrigerated air over my arms. Other more fastidious shoppers paused to mull over the weeks selection of produce. In the cold glare of the fluorescent bulb, … Continue reading
This is the fourth installment of a series on the color brown and seeing things as they really are. Read the other posts. I love lists. Groceries, errands, things to get done today, next week, this year…having things all spelled out in an orderly fashion soothes me. Checking things off my list is immensely satisfying. … Continue reading
This is the third installment of a series on the color brown and seeing things as they really are. Read the other posts. Not far down my street, I almost stepped in it. Dog poop. Bits and pieces of crumbly goose poop littered another spot on the walk. At one point I noticed some crap, … Continue reading
This is the second part of a series on the color brown and seeing things as they really are. Read the introduction to the series. With the first step out my door, I notice brown. Leaves, leftover debris from an unfinished fall cleanup, littered the snow. In fact I remembered my husband’s comment as he … Continue reading
