Have you ever watched the tele-evangelists? When I was in graduate school there were many nights where I couldn’t sleep. So I would get up put on a coat and walk to the student lounge and watch TV. I had the keys to everything on the campus so I could let myself in anywhere I … [Read more…]
When I was in college, I was a member of a 50 person African American Gospel choir, where I learn so much more than about how to sing. I learned about myself and about God. Many of the members came from the more evangelical and Pentecostal faith traditions and so every practice morphed into spontaneous … [Read more…]
One of my favorite Christmas cartoons is Charlie Brown’s Christmas. It has been a family tradition since I was a little girl to watch it during the Advent Season. As an adult, I love how innocent and faithful Charlie Brown is when he chooses this raggedy half dead stick of a tree as their Christmas … [Read more…]
As a child, my father trained my brothers and me about the ins and outs of planting a vegetable garden. My father is a very organized man. He spends time planning out his garden: where it will be, when to rotatill the soil, how big the garden will be, and which way the rows will … [Read more…]
One my favorite games to play when I was a child, was Marco Polo. We used to play it in the pool almost every single day in the summer. My brother used to make all sorts of rules that I never ever followed. His eyes would be closed calling “Marco!”. And I was quietly getting … [Read more…]
You ever feel like your day has been kind of hazy? You know you went to work, did some chores at home, and somehow the sun is down and you can’t really say what you did. Well I had a day like that the other day. I got up drank a cup of coffee, or … [Read more…]
This third week of Advent, let us remember joy. Joy is something that cannot be feigned. It is not artificial. It’s healing and restorative attributes cannot be matched in this world. Advent is about preparation and we are encouraged to use the themes of each week to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. … [Read more…]
In his younger days, my father could look out the window and see a deer that was well blended into the woods, or an owl perched on a branch. He never had to squint. And he would say, “Mandy, look over there. Do you see the deer?” My normal answer was no and I would … [Read more…]
Some of those times when I have felt the most accomplished have been when I have, successfully, created something from nothing, or from chaos. Each year at the preschool, at the end of the summer, we would close down for a day to clean our classrooms in preparation for new children coming in. Well, three … [Read more…]
One of my favorite TV programs is The Goldberg’s on Wednesday nights. It is about a family growing up in the 1980s. I find it funny because many of the trends and styles and issues the children face remind me of my own childhood growing up in the 80s. Well the most recent episode focused … [Read more…]
