They say that short term memory is the first to go. I can remember what I had for lunch on the first day of first grade (indelibly burned into my memory as a life lesson) but now, when asked what I did the previous weekend, well, that can be a complete mystery. Even my […]
My husband appropriately calls himself “The Spotter.” Wherever we travel, he looks around, helpfully pointing out the *unusual, whimsical, interesting or sweet — then I point my camera and record it. He endures vacations and local outings which often consist of hours of wandering on foot, my camera at the ready. I shuffle a few steps forward, then come to a sudden halt. I point, shoot and start up again; by his count, the most consecutive steps I take — before I inevitably stop again — is five.
Who says you need a turkey and all the traditional sides or every loved one around your table to have a great day filled with laughter and gratitude? Who says you need to meet on the fourth Thursday in November?
Not the out-of-the-box Burlesons. No sirreee, not this year!
Remember the old football cheer that required audience participation, “lean to the left, lean to the right, stand up, sit down, fight, fight, fight”? I’m virtually cheering for you with this “Fight, Fight, Fight” post. But it requires you to read, listen and watch. I promise that one or more Fightin’ segments will bless your […]
Our first Christmas in Charlottesville, and our adult kids and their significant others were celebrating in other places with other people. The morning began with a twinge of melancholy for the exuberance of Christmas past. It would be a quiet day, just the two of us, for the most part. We had no plans other […]
Last month, I almost crashed my car trying to take a picture of a rainbow.* Rainbows are just so startlingly beautiful it’s hard to look away. Even while driving. Then the other day, I read this: Who is like you, LORD God Almighty? You, LORD, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you. Psalm 89:8 I immediately […]
I was awakened very early one spring morning by what sounded like uproarious laughter. Wow, I thought, my husband must have read a hilarious text or email. But so early? I was slightly annoyed at the loud disturbance. This was my day to sleep in.
As his lumbering footsteps quickly ascended the stairs, my heart skipped a beat and my mind warned, “that’s not laughter, that’s sobbing!”
It’s true, the “look of love is in your eyes.” From the lingering gooey gaze signaling the smitten, to the affectionate study of their “person” by a much-loved canine, eye contact conveys, “you are noticed, you are special, you are loved.” But when there is very little eye contact from other human beings, we feel […]
Rooted & Growing 