The old one wasn’t working anyway
A lesson learned (again)
If there’s anything we can learn from last year and this one, it’s that hardship sometimes shows up unexpectedly. Predicting it is futile. It simply arrives and wreaks havoc if it feels like it. We don’t get a say.
Covid-19 behaved like a spreading wildfire, raging and roaring its way into our lives. The spread was inevitable. Before long, it consumed society. Public health, the economy, the workplace, education — all of it crippled by the virus.
When widespread unexpected hardship appears, it brings into sharp relief the glaring flaws and inadequacies of our “normal lives”. The last time I…
Police brutality and violence towards Black men must stop
I’m a lawbreaker (sometimes)
I’ve been pulled over about seven or eight times in the thirty years since I started driving. Running a stop sign, speeding, expired registration, tail light out — all illegal things. No question, I was wrong. I’ve also had two fender benders where the police were involved. The only time I ever got a ticket was about five years ago. My registration was two months past renewal, so I got pulled over. It was a $64 inconvenience I deserved.
Every time I got pulled over, I had violated the law, whether on purpose or accidentally. Seeing lights behind me makes…
Humor
Most people have strong opinions about frivolous things
There’s no shortage of debate these days — politics, religion, parenting, you name it, people want to debate it. Some of these topics can cause feuds, bitterness, and even end relationships. To lighten the mood and divert the conversation, I offer this carefully curated list of topics people have staunch opinions about.
At your next gathering, when someone brings up the Green New Deal or MAGA, you can slide one of these bad boys in to disrupt any potential discord. …
It’s already shaping up to be a good year
Unbelievable to think we are well into April already, isn’t it? While 2020 crawled along like a wounded animal to the new year, this year seems to be the opposite. We’re bounding ahead on the calendar and everyday life is slowly becoming more and more normal.
I’ve been quiet around here since late February for a few reasons. First, I was doing some reflective soul work during Lent. Second, I narrowed my focus to working on a manuscript and facilitating a 12-week writers’ group. Here’s what I’ve learned so far this year on the journey.
Creative People Need Each Other
This is a bit of…
Lessons for parents on stealing time to create our art
Working parents who wish to write may struggle to find a healthy balance of work, family, and art. So much to do, so little time. If something has to give, it often falls on our creative pursuits. After all, making a living and caring for a family are critical to survival.
But parenthood and writing are not mutually exclusive.
Acclaimed author Toni Morrison’s ironclad determination to be a good mother, sole wage-earner, and published writer is inspiring. Her marriage dissolved in 1964 while she was pregnant with her second child. In a brave move, she accepted a job as a…
Beating analysis paralysis by taking the first step
Momentum is hard to come by sometimes. External circumstances, internal conflict, or a combination of the two often keep us in “park” when we should be “driving” in life.
I’ve been thinking about writing on this topic for some time. Mostly about writing and creativity. I’ve got about 60,000 words of a manuscript written. Yet I can’t seem to finish because I’m overwhelmed by its plot flaws. I’ve also got to get in shape and trim down after a year of pandemic carb therapy.
Seems the chief work I’ve been doing is sitting around lamenting about the things I’d like…
Get yours just in time for Lent, or use it any time of year
I love the Lenten season. It’s a time to reflect and prepare my heart for Easter, a celebration of Jesus’ victory and the Christian’s redemption. Spending a bit of quiet time in prayer and reflection seems fitting as we enter springtime.
Rest. Renew. Refocus.
I’d like to offer you a free 82-page devotion you can complete over the 40 days of Lent, or during any 40-day period you choose. A scripture, short devotional thought, and question for further reflection accompany each day’s entry.
I pray you are enriched and blessed as you enter this season of waiting, reflection, and renewal…
The mellow painter was also a philosopher
Growing up in the 1980s, I spent a lot of time watching PBS. My favorite was (and is) Bob Ross, celebrated mellow-man and painter extraordinaire. His soothing voice and the ASMR vibes from the sound of the paintbrush were intoxicating. They still are.
Besides being able to whip up a colorful mountainscape or forest painting in under thirty minutes, Ross imparted wisdom while he worked. Simple words, mic drop truths.
I got to thinking about Ross and his advice, realizing it applied as much to a writer’s creative experience as someone picking up a paintbrush and putting it to canvas…
Everywhere we look, He shows us something new
Ever so slowly, I’m climbing out of the emotional abyss that was 2020. A year of heartache and uncertainty spilled over into 2021, even though it was supposed to be a clean slate. After all, a paper calendar page doesn’t wield that much power.
Looking back through my journal from last year, the common refrains of fear, anxiety, and worry about the future echoed. But one entry caused me to swell with hope as I remembered a tiny reminder God placed right under my nose.
Back in July, I walked to a church garden just down the block. I needed…
