for the last week in june

May you truly see this summer: the yellows and blues and the watermelon reds. Soak them all up with the sun and the water. Laugh with your sister, drink the morning coffee, and remember it’s better with a friend. Celebrate the days of marriage, release your...

on why I’ve been a bit quiet

My fingers are dyed pink-red and I pause to put my wedding rings on again. The watermelon sugar cookies are nearly done in the oven and I send them outside with a promise to call them when the icing is ready. The cookies are easy — just a bit of food coloring,...

for you who have those teenaged girls

I’m writing a book for the quiet girl who sits in the back, the loud girl who thinks she should be different, the leader who is afraid they’ll find out, and the girl who couldn’t do it as well as her sister. It’s for the daughter who just wants to please them,...

the artist’s secret

“In art, either as creators or participators, we are helped to remember some of the glorious things we have forgotten, and some of the terrible things we are asked to endure, we who are children of God by adoption and grace.” -Madeleine L’Engle,...