An Almost Southern Way of Life Blog & Art Showcase
This past weekend was a busy one. Family and friends gathered at the Pentecostals of the Gulf Coast to tie the knot between our Tiff and Mr. Nate (Lynn)—and little Alaura. It started on Thursday morning with my mom, who patiently waited in her van, already full of silk flower bouquets…
I’ve spent the whole month of January wondering what I should write on my blog. Then this morning, I felt a culmination of events and other inputs that lead me to this not-so-novel thought: some suffering is for our good, and it shows God’s great love for us. If you’ve…
Happy post-Thanksgiving! There was no time to blog last week, but I was thinking about it. Does that count for anything? No? Oh, well. Today I’m wrapping up my Christmas decorating and feeling so thankful–thankful for the anticipation of slowing down and actually enjoying the festive decorations and lights; thankful for the Christmas gatherings…
I know you can’t believe everything you see on the Internet or hear on the radio, but I heard a story a few years ago that really made an impression on me. I think it was on KLOVE. A DJ told the story of a man who’d gone to the…
The following is an unlikely story that I’ll tell backwards, for that’s how it was revealed to me. One day after church, elderly Sis. Schexnayder paused by the pew where I sat with my young children and peered closely at my little girl who was looking through a Golden Book. Lizzie was…
I’ve sought inspiration for this week’s blog post with little success. It’s challenging to think of anything else: The country of Ukraine is in the spotlight of the world’s stage right now. Images of Russian troops in armored tanks moving into the towns and villages of innocent people and the videos…
Here it is the end of January, and I have written nary a thing about New Year’s Resolutions. I know you’ve been waiting for me to give you my list, right? Here it goes: Visit Key Largo, Florida…CHECK! Drive US-1, the overseas highway, from Key Largo to Key West…CHECK! Watch…
On Monday, I finished crossing off everyone on my Christmas list–family, friends, teachers, and church ministry. Then I contacted someone I’d met last year about this time and asked her about the current needs in her special ministry. In response to this friend’s request last year, my daughter and one of…
This week has been challenging to stomach for anyone noticing the headlines. On a personal level, a long-time friend of the family was buried at the beginning of the week, and the father of my son’s girlfriend passed away a few days ago from complications due to COVID-19. She had already missed…
Every year, I read my Bible from cover to cover. About a week ago, I finished reading the books of Kings and Chronicles. Those particular books, with their lists of kings who “walked not in the way of the Lord” and the few who “followed God with their whole hearts,” have always…