The Blog

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my…

I’ve shared about essential oils over the past month. (I almost can’t believe I managed 31 posts in October.) And…

Ahhh…Motivation. When I really need to get a lot accomplished and those tasks involve a lot of motion, Motivation combined…

A great way to save money is by making your own laundry detergent. It’s not as difficult as it sounds…

Just as I shared in my post on how to use essential oils topically, always read the directions on the…

I was always skeptical about aromatherapy. I mean you see scented candles and soaps and hand soaps that boast ‘aromatherapy’,…

When I first received my kit of essential oils I was almost afraid to use them. What if I did…

I began using the Thieves Household Cleaner a couple of months ago and I can’t imagine going back to the…

Essential oils are the life blood of plants. They are the vital fluids necessary for the plant to live. Essential…

Oh how I love lemon. Lemon essential oil is definitely one of my favorite essential oils.  The second oil in…

Not all essential oils are created equal. The ones I see at health food stores say they cannot be taken…

It was the music. It always stops me. I never dared speak my thoughts aloud. To say I somehow knew…

Without a doubt, God lead me to essential oils.  For most of my life, I have watched my mother deal…

31 Days of Essential Oils and Other Natural Remedies, etc… It’s true. I might should have been born a decade…

You hear a lot these days in the blogging world about building a tribe. I understand authors and businesses needing…

He walks up sidewalk through barely familiar doors. I pray for Holy Spirit to wash peace over my soul. New…

I disappeared from the blog for a while. First there was taking a courageous step. New routines, new places require…

    I almost never do reviews on my blog these days. I don’t like giving bad reviews so I’ve…

Authenticity. It’s a word we hear a lot of lately. It’s not a bad thing. I believe it’s a response…

“Maybe they just needed someone else to hold a lamp for a little while.” – Preston Yancey   I listen…

Edited: Congratulations, Lisa Notes! You won the giveaway!  I stepped back. And for the first time, after four years, I…

I listen as others’ ways of worship and experiencing God are condemned. As I share how a social media outlet…

Some stories take time to be shared. Often you have to find a balance when your story is so intertwined…

…..you just need a reminder that you are loved by the Creator.

You sit. You wait. You dare to hope. And this hope? It is not without cost. I haven’t been able…

Waiting. This season I am in is filled with waiting. I wait at golf courses as my son practices with…

“This is my heart’s desire. This is becoming my dream. But is my heart aligning with yours? Is it your…

The thoughts clutter her mind now. Brain damage frustrating a mind once sharp. Words falter somewhere deep inside the recesses…

Beloved: greatly loved; dear to the heart. My name: Amy. It means beloved. It’s taken me years to rest in…

We drive along the stretch of road not often taken when I am there. I see it ahead as we…

I quit choosing a word. The years I did the choosing met with failure. No, best to let the word…

The year is winding down and sufficient taught me a great deal. More than anything, though, I think sufficient taught…

I drove past a church last week. I know that really is not news considering I live in the Deep…

These random thoughts seem to have circled their way through my mind over the past week or so. Each different,…

I am so glad the election day is over. Not because of the political posturing back and forth. Although not…

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to…

He rants about politics. At almost thirteen years old, he wants to watch presidential debates and ask thousands of questions.…

I wonder what stories these old mill town buildings could tell?

It’s an election year. Not only nationally but locally for us. Which means someone had the idea to resurface many…

If you had to choose only two books to give to people which two would they be not including the…

Today I am wondering: Why the city needed to tar and gravel our road. Why some churches are so afraid…

The past few months have felt like one giant learning curve. I have pushed and am pushing myself out of…

But now, O LORD, You are our Father,  We are the clay, and You our potter;  And all of us…

I plop down the clay to wheel. Trying to remember as much from the demonstration as I can. Pressing foot…

UPDATED: Thank you to all who entered! The winner has been drawn & contacted! I am so excited to share…

I walk into the coffee shop unsure of what to expect. I pray for wisdom, but mostly for grace. I…

Updated: Thank you all for entering! The winner has been drawn and contacted! I have never thrown clay. As crafty…

Right now I don’t have many words for this space. Today the rain and clouds seem to have lasted for…

Delight yourself in the LORD ; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to…

Some days I wonder if my words, if what I write here, will be heard. I’m okay with having a…

Rest my child. These gifts I’ve Formed in you Yes give life But at times drain Wounding heart. For a…

All I have to do is look to the sky and He reminds me all is grace. Taken with iPhone…

I like goats. Maybe because my parents’ next door neighbors had goats on the back of their property and if…

The creek winds alongside the two lane highway as we make our way to the small town. The foothills the…

“The ache for heaven is strong today, the longing for a new earth.”  I read these words from Emily and…

Type then delete. Type then delete. I’ve started this post and started it again unsure about sharing these thoughts for…

I stare at the screen waiting for words to come. This is where I struggle. This part of the resistance…

I had a tough time deciding whether to share these in color or black and white. To view these in…

Michael Hyatt shared on his blog last week about how our vocabulary has the power to change our attitude. His…

I sit moving slowly front to back in white rocker as I study. The summer heat tolerable some afternoons on…

Today I’m guest posting for Preston Yancey in the blog series Conversations with Ourselves where writers address their past selves…

I sat down this morning to work on a couple of posts I have in progress only to find my…

Today I’m guest posting over at Joy in this Journey. As I’ve read Joy’s posts about leaving their church and…

This field of sunflowers blooms each year. Every year I say I’m going to stop and take photos and never…

Once again I find myself considering the power of gratitude and bringing those thoughts to this space. I’m beginning to…

I hope you all have a great fourth of July! See you next week!

I’m sitting under the ceiling fan in our den as I write this with an ice pack on the back…

I think as writers, especially those of us with small audiences, we wonder if we’re just another voice adding noise…

The lake barely moves. The most gentle waves ripple toward the pier. Almost dusk, boats and others make their way…

“Let’s take this road,” the friend would say. Oh the fun of the “where does this road lead?” game. We…

Wall of sand along beach filled with broken shells. Some experiences in life I’m not sure you ever learn to…

I stumble to the kitchen reaching into the refrigerator for orange juice. Some need their coffee. I need orange juice.…

“I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.” Psalm…

You never know what you will find in old barns. My great-grandparents bought this John Deer in the early 1950s.…

We walked along the pathway, nervous, our expectations unsure. We asked questions and observed as we walked along this new…

Words fumble out when someone asks me what I do. A question I rarely know how to answer. So much…

The past month has been busy. Good, but busy. And busy feels a bit unbalanced at the moment. Words coming…

A neighborhood with wide open spaces calls. Each season new joys reveal themselves. I have only a few minutes before…

…always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; (Ephesians…

Lilies are blooming all over this time of year. This little field of lilies were in front of the home…

I sigh looking at more piles of laundry. Feeling like I had just washed yesterday although it had been four…

These lilies in my in-laws yard always take my breath away each May. Do you see the butterfly? It flittered…

I set the tripod up. The hill overlooking the lake giving me a perfect view of the moon. I look…

I forget the name of the flower. Mums maybe. An autumn favorite. Potted in the fall along side the front…

I don’t know how many times how I had driven by before noticing this old barn sitting off from the…

“Don’t say that out loud,” he tells me in frustration. “Why?” I ask. “Because,” he says in exasperation. “I don’t…

I don’t usually share from the photography sessions I have here. But the 3 from Here & There prompt gave…

The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. Matthew 27:51 (NASB) I…

Do you see it? Maybe a little closer. I’ve mentioned before how my chiropractor is always on the look out…

I begin a new painting. Unsure of what I want it to be. No inspiration photo to guide me this time.…

A few days ago my friend Stacey shared “It’s taken 11 months, but I’m putting together that rejoicing is about a…

I believe God still performs miracles. I know people who have experienced them. Yet there are times I doubt. I…

Have you ever heard someone say “they must not be living right” when they hear of others going through a…

He climbs in the van and we maneuver the small town traffic to his art teacher’s studio. He loves art…

I’ve taken lots of photos this week. Old barns. Abandoned houses. Will share those soon. I’m fascinated with cows lately,…

Pete Wilson, pastor of Crosspoint in Nashville, TN, released his second book this week. Empty Promises tackles the uncomfortable issue…

Red clover cover medians and line roadsides. A pop of color as grass and trees revive with green. Each year telling…

I sit watching as sun streams through my windows. Yellow walls glow as day begins to brighten. Sunrise – the…

Playing along with the 3 from Here & There photo play. “People don’t change from the past; they simply become…

Just a quick post to share some photos of what spring is looking like around here. Kelly Sauer asked us…