I am surrounded by children. I joke that I have 81 babies, but they stay at the hospital so I sleep through the night. And I’ve noticed that babies and children have an uncanny ability to change moods quickly. They can cry and smile within a few seconds. They can fight and be angry, throw…
All posts in Devotional
Accepting Help
I can help edit a book. Work on a project. Paint a house. Clean a road. Or do endless therapy for children in need. But I can’t accept a ride to the airport. I much prefer being the helper than the helpee. I have a pathological need to be independent and do it all myself.…
Chaos
Life is messy. I try to pretend that it’s not, but that is futile. People are messy. Entropy happens. Chaos surrounds me. I tend to deal with the messiness of life by cleaning and organizing what I can, even if they’re unrelated. You can tell when work is especially hectic, because my bathroom is spotless.…
Ordeals and Adventures
Airports. I have a love hate relationship with them. I enjoy the excited bustle and people watching. And I dislike the delays and feeling of being out of control. Which is where I am now. Delayed. Waiting on a mechanic. Surrounded by griping fellow flyers. Unable to board the plane. I have missed my fair…
Beginnings
Happy New Year! Yes, I realize that it is September. Even though I’ve been out of school for quite some time, the fall still feels like a new beginning to me. My brain still functions on a semester schedule, even though my schedule doesn’t look much different in June versus October. I’ve been trained through years…
Silence
“No news is good news,” as the old adage says. But is that always true? I’m not so sure. As our Internet connections have become constant companions in our pockets, the adage carries far less weight. Myriads of articles have been written about the ploy of social media. We present our best image in these…
Stillness and Massage
I struggle with stillness. I love productivity and efficiency. I think these things define a good day. I love checking thing off of my list. But I’ve been slowly changing my definition of a good day. I thought about this today as I got a massage. It is a treat that I budget for and…
Juxtaposition
Juxtaposition is one of my favorite words. It ranks in my mind alongside onomatopoeia, hyperbole, and synecdoche both in multi-syllabic rhythm and definitional genius! Juxtaposition is the perfect term for certain situations. It is a noun meaning “an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.” Two things that shouldn’t…
Indiana Jones and the Mamertine Prison
No, this is not an anticipated fifth Indiana Jones movie. It’s just what I thought about when I was in Rome. (I promise the analogy will make sense in the end!) I traveled to Salerno on a mission trip and we worked hard for a week helping a church plant get set up in their new…
Valuing Your Future Self
I think about a special someone often. I care deeply about her. I want her to do well in life and be set up for success. She’s kind and funny and warm and (hopefully) more wise, stable, and adventurous than me! I’m thinking about Future Kelly. I know that all my decisions affect my future…