The Knowing

I sit and write with Christmas lights twinkling around me. The Christmas trees’ reflections in our picture window reach to the sky, giving the appearance of doubles on the embankment. All is still, so I listen and wait.  Tasks for today creep into mind. Hopes for tomorrow aren’t far behind. I love Christmas with its …

Beauty Grows in Unexpected Places

Have you ever found yourself in a tough spot? Maybe things didn’t go as you’d planned. Or maybe you feel trapped in circumstances beyond your control.  Often life feels like rocks you’ve got to find a way to grow up and out of despite the seemingly impossible situations. I took the first two photos during …

How Big is your Garden?

I’ve always wanted a bigger garden than I could possibly manage. I’d scroll through Pinterest and ooh and ahh over archways and gates that beckon entrance, white-picket fences, and trellises that cradle ripening fruit. Yet, the demands of life and suburban living whittled my gardens down to a few raised beds. Tending a garden isn’t …

Prioritizing People, Projects, and the Practical

Trying to balance these three essentials can cause consternation for the creative.  We want to be present for people, but not to the point where we don’t have time for our projects.  Projects are important—from home improvements to artistic endeavors. Yet, life can’t just be all about projects at the expense of people. And then …

The Rose Blossoming in the Father’s Love

Artist and writer, Diane Bailey, posted a painting on Instagram of a woman with angel’s wings, holding a red rose. The descriptor read: “The Soul of a Woman - and when she believed she was loved, she began to bloom.” When I read this, I instantly remembered a promise the Lord had given me when …

Seedlings of Desire

Have you ever felt befuddled by desires that don’t fit into your plans?  Or wanted something so badly but were hesitant because it wasn't part of your life plan?You set out to pursue one direction and another calls to you. Although this is can be disconcerting, I’ve learned to listen to the wooing of the soul. Often …

The Feral Cat of Inspiration

Inspiration is like a feral cat.It stalks around in the shadows.You never know when it will grace you with its presence. When you're trying to catch it,inspiration slithers away. But when you give up the chase,inspiration comes and finds youwhen you least expect it to. It's a waiting game.An idea starts to form in the …

Do you ever feel insignificant?

Insignificance: to small or unimportant to be worth consideration. Without power or influence. Have you ever struggled with insignificance? Felt too unimportant to be worth consideration? Wondered why what means so much to you means so little to others? What is it in the human soul that longs to be loved? Why do we yearn …

Bird of Paradise the Wingless Bird of Surrender

I'm captivated by the Birds of Paradise that grace my garden. These lovely flowers hold special significance for me. They remind me to surrender lofty aspirations in exchange for blessings that come from living an everyday life in an attitude of surrender. Like the Bird of Paradise, the wingless bird of surrender, life plucks our …