Category: Poetry

  • Finding love

    Finding love

    Because perfectionism kills we strive to be good enough. Good enough parents, good enough spouses, good enough employees, good enough daughters and sons. But don’t mistake good enough for settling, for lowering the bar.  Right before I met my husband I thought I might never marry because I was determined to not settle. A bit…

  • Being an author – International book day

    Being an author – International book day

    Last week Conrad was invited to talk about being an author, how he started, what it entails, and how do authors make money. It was money week at the International school.  Today is international book day and I was invited to Jackie’s class to share about my experience as a book author.  This class loves…

  • Practiced skills

    Practiced skills

    I can bring myself to solve complicated math problems, from whatever state of mind. Even if I just woke up, or I am hungry or concerned or sleepy. I have had the practice of focusing my attention and doing what needs to be done.  But I can’t write on demand. I studied science not creative…

  • Invisible

    Invisible

    As a kid I was invisible to most adults. Except for the few adults that mattered.  So I felt seen and safe. Growing up rather tall Seemed contrary to my nature  Height makes you more easily seen  Low expectations is my favorite starting point No disappointment No pressure Then life happened. A lot of good life. And…

  • Forewarned

    Forewarned

    How does my experience or lack there of, fit in this conversation. I study lamentations and in the beginning of the book, Israel is compared to a desolate woman, a woman who undergoes a sexual assault.  Lamentations 1:10  The enemy has laid his handover all her precious things; for she has seen [pagan] nations entering into her…

  • Reconciliation

    Reconciliation

    It’s an old scar. Why bring it up? Everyone has forgotten. I have forgiven daily I have forgiven myself for getting caught in the middle I have forgiven themFor they did not know what they were doing.For a year I did not rush into healingNor tried to cover it up.I went away to nurse my broken heartAnd it has…

  • Writing yourself in a book

    Writing yourself in a book

    Now both Conrad and I are published writers. Even if you don’t write yourself in a story, even if you don’t publish an autobiography, writing is vulnerable.  For some reason blogging doesn’t feel so dramatically final. Maybe it’s the false impression that I can take it back, shutting down the blog. I am fully aware…

  • Three women in their thirties discussing burnout 

    Three women in their thirties discussing burnout 

    It is not an exhaustive presentation. We all shared from what we learned as we traveled through the valley of burnout, camping there for a while, reaching the valley from different directions. Some having started the climb up a while ago. Awareness of where we are is a great starting point. And you don’t have…

  • Don’t quit. Just take a break

    Don’t quit. Just take a break

    Marriage is not martyrdom Parenting is not martyrdom Life for Christ is But it is also meant to be lived with gusto  Balance  Wisdom Boundaries  Tasting and savoring the sweetness of life Laying it down at the foot of the cross. It’s not a paradox  It is wholehearted living. Taking time to rest. To be…

  • mount Hebron dew

    mount Hebron dew

    Hungry and lonely We are or have been foreignersGod called us out of our father’s housePilgrims and sojournersWe are not home stillBut we got a glimpse of our final destinationA taste of what’s to come. The banquet.Meanwhile we cook on this side of heavenAnd we pull a chair or a benchOr add another table to…

  • About having a voice

    About having a voice

    From invisible and underestimated  Stepping into the light  Being visible  burdened with expectations  I learn to live  With purpose  Quiet and clear  Humble and bold. I grew up singing Traian dorz poems  My theological foundation  Music has the power to activate parts of the brain that nothing else could  My crossroads prayers had words borrowed…

  • The effort

    The effort

    Livia shows up. I see her. She sees me. It has been a year of brokenness and exhaustion. Sometimes we can’t articulate with all the words the darkness we felt. But in it, there was a light. Steady. Bright. Why did you come? Why are you going? What’s here to do? What’s there to do?…