(ROCKWALL/HEATH, TX – Feb. 28, 2017) A group of college students from Texas stood in a long line of tourists waiting to see the “afterlife army” of China’s first emperor, who died in 210 B.C. The Terracotta Army Museum is one of the greatest archeological sites in the world. My son’s Mandarin-language instructor had planned […]
(ROCKWALL, HEATH, TX – Feb. 11, 2017) I’m still surprised I chose to attend the University of Arkansas. My parents didn’t like my far-away plan, especially when good schools were closer to home—smaller colleges, which seemed a better fit for me. My mother, who’d heard wild stories, had one stipulation: request a non-freshman dorm. I […]
(ROCKWALL/HEATH, TX – Sept. 29, 2016) I stroll through the neighborhood at a slower pace these days. My old dog enjoys the extra time to dawdle. This, I tell myself, is fresh air but not exercise. I’m only trying to keep moving until my injured knee is strong again. My friend Ann has faced much […]
(ROCKWALL/HEATH, TX – June 24, 2016) How should we celebrate? I’ve been chewing on this thought in view of our 40th wedding anniversary, which seems to call for something out of the ordinary. I’m amazed that “as long as we both shall live” has turned out to be quite a long time. And so much […]
(ROCKWALL, TX – May 6, 2016) I woke up wanting to call my grandfather who was ill—at least in my dream. I hadn’t talked to my grandparents in months, so it would be good to check in with them. My busy day as a young mother slipped away. I reminded myself to make that call […]
(ROCKWALL, TX – March 18, 2016) My husband unloaded his treasure from the car and carried it downstairs. The large box held dismantled pieces of a crystal lamp that once adorned the homes of both his parents and grandparents. Jim hoped we could find a place for it in our home—some day. For now, his […]
(ROCKWALL/HEATH, TX – Jan. 29, 2016) “Isn’t love the most important thing?” My friend’s mother repeated the question for a second time as I attempted to share my born-again faith with her. “Of course,” I had to agree. We both knew the Apostle Paul’s admonition to love: “If I speak in the tongues of men […]
(ROCKWALL, TX – Jan. 9, 2016) A New Year means new reading for me—the result of a Christmas list that always includes books. I keep a year-round wish list, jotting down titles of interest, based on Christian book reviews or recommendations. No article gets my attention more than a “top-ten picks” of books related to […]
(ROCKWALL/HEATH, TX – Nov. 11, 2015) If you were a flower, what kind of flower would you be? A pastor’s wife posed the woman’s retreat-type question to our group. (I’ve assumed that men ask different ones). My own answer sprang up immediately: a chrysanthemum, because it’s a late-bloomer. I hoped to be a late-bloomer, since my […]
(ROCKWALL/HEATH, TX – September 1, 2015) Georgia Mae Hendrix often wears a white sweater over a colorful blouse. And she can wear a smile. Residents of the assisted living facility where I once-a-week lead exercise have more in common than silver hair and close ages—mostly north or south of ninety. They rarely get excited; they […]