I grew up in Chicago in a neighborhood where the houses were like little boxes made of brick sitting in neat rows along the city streets. Even though we had a small backyard, my mama always made space for a garden. Every spring we would head down to the local nursery and pick out packets of seeds and plants. We dreamed of making Italian pesto ... [Keep Reading...]
General
#Blessed: How my view of blessing shifted after my husband’s death
A few years ago, I received a gift. It was a canvas that artfully displayed this phrase: “Thankful, Grateful and Blessed.” I hesitated to display it in my home. You see, I struggled with the word “blessed.” About the time my husband Ericlee was diagnosed with melanoma cancer in 2014, a hashtag became popular on social media. On Twitter, Facebook ... [Keep Reading...]
Back to School: Choosing Love over Fear
The following is a post I wrote five years ago. It's hard to believe my little girl just started 7th grade last week. We are still choosing love over fear and having our ears open to those who need us to hear their stories. Read on. I’ve always loved the start of the school year. I love pointy pencils, folders with clean edges, fresh bottles of ... [Keep Reading...]
Unexpected friendship in a cup of cold water
The sun blazed and dust swirled. Sweat dripped in every crevice of my body. My belly swelled announcing my third baby, expected to appear sometime that winter. My unexpected assignment that summer: to help start a jewelry business employing women in the mountains of Haiti. I arrived in Haiti, excited and nervous. I knew I had to start by ... [Keep Reading...]
{Summer Blog Swap} Creative ways to work through a spiritual funk
Welcome to my Summer Blog Swap. Over the next four weeks I am inviting four of my blogger friends over to this space to share some of their posts and perspectives. It's a fun way to introduce some of my favorite people to all of you. This week I'd like you to meet my friend Natalie Guy. We met through a writing group called Hope*writers. Natalie is ... [Keep Reading...]
Facing transitions: How to grow resilient kids in a changing world
One summer I planted a backyard garden with tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and eggplant. A friend helped me construct a raised wooden box for our plants. The kids and I watched the baby plants push through the soil and stretch toward the sky. We enlisted my dad to help us water the garden while we were gone on a trip. After two weeks away, we ... [Keep Reading...]
