INK: Inspire, Nurture, Kindle
Posted in Uncategorized on Apr 26th, 2009
A bit of bippity-boppity-boo dust, the help of two sisters, and a dress with sparkles turned my special needs daughter into Cinderella last night. Prom night. Cameras, strobe lights, hip hop, line dancing, off-key Mamma Mia choruses, a live band, Italian cuisine, friends holding hands, hugs, and laughter. Something every mother wants her child to [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Mar 8th, 2009
“Let’s go Riders! D, D, D!” Bethany knows basketball. Over the years, she’s cheered through more games than I can count with Caleb and Grace both playing. She’s known by the THESA (Texas Home Educators Sports Association) families as the number-one-Rider-fan. A few years ago at the national basketball tournament, the top-ranked girls’ team surprised [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Mar 1st, 2009
Every year when baseball season begins my son’s coaches focus on fundamentals-basic skills in fielding, batting, pitching, base-running, and other baseball essentials. Throughout the season, they continue to drill the fundamentals in regular practices. My kids’ piano teacher emphasizes scales, technique, and regular, disciplined practice. As a teacher, I encourage daily studying rather than waiting to [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Feb 22nd, 2009
God gave Joseph a dream, and he dared to share it. Joseph spoke the truth; he shared what God had whispered to his heart as he slept. He shared his dreams. Some say taunting arrogance, lack of discernment, and naivete led him to speak of his dreams. Some say he deserved the scolding from his [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Feb 1st, 2009
Baseball, basketball, school, hanging out with friends-all demand a portion of my son’s time. Playing Halo, Rockband, and Madden also claim spare moments. Well, okay, hours. My rare attempts to join his computer game world usually end abruptly with the simple message of my incompetency-”game over.” I chuckle when I see the proclamation, and quickly [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Dec 22nd, 2008
We celebrated Christmas at my grandmother-in-law’s yesterday. Ninety-three-years-old and still living independently. Family members lined the walls, lounged on the floor, and grabbed places on sofas and chairs when someone relinquished their spot in search of more chocolate truffles. I remember when she first moved to this home. She announced to everyone she didn’t want [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Dec 15th, 2008
My mother, an English major and history minor, enjoyed tossing around old sayings. “Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.” She used that one with one of my feistier friends. “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” None of us kids took [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Dec 5th, 2008
Poor Jonah. We sometimes laugh at this pouting prophet, but I’m probably in his company more often than I would want you to know. Perhaps we all share a similarity to this comic-relief specimen of humanity. Maybe we should go a little easier on Jonah. God had a plan for Jonah’s life-a specific mission to [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Nov 24th, 2008
“God has given me the gift of pain.” The speaker lived with a chronic debilitating disease as she struggled in a difficult marriage. But she saw the value of her pain-she recognized God had entrusted her with a gift that few, if any, welcome, and most resist. I listened to her story about twenty years [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Oct 17th, 2008
When we face overwhelming, painful circumstances, we typically don’t see our “Lazarus rise from the grave”-our loved one doesn’t sit up in his coffin and walk away from his own funeral, our illness worsens, and our dreams may shatter into a million tiny pieces. We believe. We ask. But whatever miracle we’re begging from God [...]