Lessons Learned from Gardening

“The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” (Lk 8:14-15)

Before the first freeze last fall, I brought my herbs inside my house. Each one grew in its own container, so I made a place for them in my laundry room, which receives a lot of sunlight. There were four: basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.

One by one, the herbs died until the oregano was the only one left. At first, I watched it diligently for rot or dryness. Soon, I became distracted and forgot to check it as often as it needed. One day, I noticed its dry leaves and realized with chagrin that I had forgotten to water it. Overnight, it seemed, many of the leaves dried up and fell on the floor. My neglectfulness led to the eventual death of the oregano plant. Continue reading “Lessons Learned from Gardening”

The Specter of Perfectionism

“It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.” (Ps 18:32, NLT)

Years ago, my parents and I worked on a house painting project together. Usually, my dad and I work well together. However, for that project, it seemed neither of us could do anything right. I wanted the room to look perfect when we were done, and I had a vision of the final version in my head. My dad didn’t do things my way, and I didn’t do things his way, so I almost scrapped the entire project before we started. My mom, caught in the middle, gave up and left us to it. In the end, we talked it out, compromised, and finished the job, which turned out better than I had hoped.

Perfectionism. I’ve been plagued by it all my life. Perfectionism isn’t reality. As humans, we can never be perfect. Only one man was perfect: Jesus. Continue reading “The Specter of Perfectionism”

Winning the OWFI Writing Contest

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms…” (1 Pt 4:10)

On Saturday, May 4, 2019, I officially became an award-winning author. After almost 10 years of entering the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. (OWFI) annual writing contest, I won two awards: first place for blogs (nonfiction) and honorable mention for mystery/suspense novel.

If you’ve read my work for very long, then you’ve read about the winding journey that led to my starting the blog in 2010. (Read about my journey here.) Continue reading “Winning the OWFI Writing Contest”

A Mother’s Influence

This post was originally published in 2018.

“Her children arise and call her blessed…” (Prov 31:28)

Since Mother’s Day is today, this seems like a good time to acknowledge the women who have influenced me the most in my life. From my mom to her mom to my dad’s mom, these women have provided strong examples of who a Christian woman should be. Continue reading “A Mother’s Influence”

Lessons Learned from Leading OWFI

“He [David] cared for them with a true heart and led them with skillful hands.” (Ps 78:72 NLT)

For the last year, I’ve served as the 2019 Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. (OWFI) president. As of today, my tenure as president is over, but not my involvement in OWFI or my local writing community. (In last week’s blog post, I wrote about the transition I was facing. You can read that post here.)

For years, I believed I couldn’t be a leader because I’m introverted and quiet. I don’t like making decisions, but I do believe in standing up for people and doing the right thing. Over the years, I’ve held various leadership positions that, in hindsight, I know prepared me for this one. Continue reading “Lessons Learned from Leading OWFI”