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Letters From Home

a black typewriter with a bond paper beside a book on a wooden table

The present brings value only in our tomorrows Unknown “Write your stories,” I heard whispered in my heart. “Lord, I have nothing dramatic nor adventurous to write about.” I heard it again, “Write your stories.” “But, Lord, What would I write about,” I countered. “Remind people where home is. Write your stories.” Vacuuming the floor could not have been the most spiritual moment to hear directions from the Lord. However, it is in those times He speaks the loudest to […]

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What If?

baby s feet in gray scale photography

Seven years ago, I was expecting our first precious bundle. Romanticizing the experience and preparing for our perfectly pink little girl would not change the fact that, at present, I was sick as a dog. I don’t ever remember being so nauseous in my life. To top it off, it would not go away. Four months of feeling like the day needed to start with dry toast and saltine crackers was waning on my storybook celebration. My birthday was less […]

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Wearing Habits

Chance favors the prepared mind Louis Pasteur “Charlotte, it’s time to go take a nap.” Ok!” She exclaimed. She ran down the hall to her room, and I watched in amazement as she pointed to her lamp for me to turn off and scrambled over to the blinds, wanting me to close them. Then she turned on her fan and climbed, one leg at a time, in her rocker and grabbed a book and her pacifier. She patted the rocking […]

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Saddle Butter

If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins. Benjamin Franklin “I have a going away present for you,” My friend told me during our move to Tennessee. I stopped by her house with my SUV loaded down. We would pull out for the last time in just a few hours. She took me out to the garage, where her saddle and bridle sat in pristine condition. She said, “I want you to have this.” I stuttered, “But I don’t […]

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Consider a Field

Blessed is he who plants trees under whose shade he will never sit. Old Indian Proverb “Don’t win the world and lose your family,” My mother told my father as he was pastoring our church out on the plains of the Midwest. The pressures of providing for a family and shepherding the flock God entrusted to his care demanded the most from him. So, who would win? What do you do when a church member needs you, yet your girls […]

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Homemade Soup and a Greeting Card

Nothing is more personal than a handwritten card from a family member or friend. Opening the mailbox, I look for small envelopes with unique handwriting addressed on the outside. The bills, newspaper, and sales ads get lost while I look for the tiny gem just for me. They say I make the cut-off for the millennial generation. Still, I live in utter denial that I could be associated with many ideals attached to entitlement and handouts. Yet, I do admit […]

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Growing Pains

Eva: Mom. I need to tell you something.Me: Ok, tell me.Eva: Well, this morning, when Charlotte was brushing her teeth with me, she used the toilet to rinse off her toothbrush and then put it back in her mouth.Me:…..Eva: I tried to stop her! But it was too late.Me:….. I heard a scream coming from our bedroom. I left what I was doing and took off. What could have possibly gone wrong?! The girls love to bathe in our big […]

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The Donut Shop

We lived in the blank white spaces at the edge of the print. It gave us more freedom. We lived in the gaps between the stories. Margaret Atwood, The Handmaids Tale From a nutrient standpoint, no kid should start the day with a donut and a Coke. But, memorably speaking, every child should know what it is like to start their day with a donut and a Coke. That’s just what she did. “Girls wake up! If you hurry, we […]

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School Supplies

Eva: Do you have a girlfriend, Ben?Ben: Well, kinda. We broke up.Eva: Oh?Ben: But if I know her, she will be back.Ben: It only took one game of air hockey to make her my girlfriend. The scene out my backdoor describes what summer is supposed to look like; flowers blooming, ferns hanging from the back porch enjoying the shade, and a mist of water that comes their way. Hearing the girls squeal delightfully as they splash in the pool fills […]

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Leaving the Arena

Except for Monday by Lori Morgan made an excellent teaching guide to the days of the week for my children. It brings laughter every time we sing. Kristen Howard I could hear the gravel turning underneath the tires as we pulled out of Dry Run Road from Pierre, SD. It had been the place that I called home for many years. I created a picture in my mind as we drove away; the house, the corrals, and last out of […]

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