Living into the sacred space of God's everyday grace
I planted these beauties early last spring when it was still too early for anything to survive in the ground. But pansies are such sturdy little things, they can survive the ups and mostly downs of a late winter/early spring in Michigan. They flourished all summer and when the first few frosts came, they still… Continue reading Essential Beauty
I’ve been accused of creating austere, cave-like environments in which to work. Curtains drawn, mostly dark, and very quiet. I prefer to think of it as more “cozy” than “cave” but I suppose spelunking might seem appropriate to some. Writing in such settings helps me focus less on myself and more on ideas, rather than… Continue reading Leaning In To My Discomfort Zone
I'm at Fathom Magazine today, talking about creativity. One of my first memories of art class was using small, blunted safety scissors to cut pictures out of magazines. I would make collages to represent life as I knew it as a six-year-old. Later would come shoeboxes covered in dry pasta, macramé braided wall hangings, and...… Continue reading Artistic Enough
As a child when I tested my mother’s patience, I always knew when I’d crossed the line. The Look could stop me in my tracks. The one that silently conveyed, “I’d like you to stop that.” That screaming, that banging, that whining or whatever was getting on her nerves. Sometimes it was The Tone that I recognized… Continue reading Enough Already
Happiness is finally organizing one's over-stuffed bookshelf. I’d been using one set of shelves in a way that wasn’t useful, so I set about creating a friendlier home for my books. I went from crowded crammed in, and ugly to room to grow more comfortable, and easier to engage. Including space based on a graphic… Continue reading Creating a Sacred Space
Borrowing a cup of sugar from a neighbor always seemed cliché to me. That is, until the day I watched with dismay as my last two eggs landed splat on my kitchen floor as I was making a dessert to take to a party. With no time to run to the store, it made the… Continue reading Living on Borrowed Hope
I'm happy to be at the Breathe Conference blog today, sharing my thoughts on attending the keynote address last month. Walking into the auditorium at the Breathe Christian Writers Conference, words like “imposter” and “wannabe” floated through my mind. I took a deep breath, pushed the rude comments aside, and found a seat near the… Continue reading Learning to Enjoy the Slow Lane
I'm delighted to feature a guest post by Andi Cumbo-Floyd. Andi has written a beautiful book comprised of encouraging letters - love letters - to writers. I received an advance reader copy of this lovely collection of letters and I can't wait for you to be blessed by this wonderful book. It speaks to the… Continue reading What Are We Afraid Of?
When it comes to a vegetable garden’s bounty, summer is an embarrassment of riches. Refrigerator drawers overflow with a rainbow of food just waiting to be chopped, sliced, and enjoyed. Sunny kitchen window sills become prime real estate for tomatoes that still wear collars of green. But it doesn’t happen overnight. My garden began on… Continue reading The Abundance of an Autumn Harvest
Milestones and the dates on which they occur embed in our memories, whether we want them to or not. My grandpa’s been gone for 20 years but January 30 will never pass without it being his birthday. Although I’m no longer married, the Fourth of July hasn’t stopped being my wedding anniversary and the day… Continue reading Labor Day Redemption
Patricia Alderman 