If I had to make a list of things that white Southern Baptists are not famous for, perhaps the top two would be dancing and demonstrative worship. So, when the choir director of a local Baptist church hired me to choreograph his group’s musical production, I tried to approach the project with sensitivity to a […]
What I learned dancing with Baptists Read More »
Saturday morning George said he and Jacob were going to Longview to do some shopping. When I heard the back door close, I slipped onto the piano bench, ready to play and sing my heart out. I don’t mind playing and singing when people are around, but I love the freedom I feel when it’s
As seen from beneath His wing Read More »
Jacob and I spent Saturday in Dallas at a Friends of Hope Day Camp for brain injury survivors, sponsored by Baylor Rehab. Jacob attended as a camper. I’d agreed to speak and sing. When we arrived I looked at the schedule. They’d given me the last thirty minutes. Public speaking is supposedly one of the
The ACFW conference in Nashville ended Sunday afternoon. I pulled into my driveway around 9:30 PM Monday night, and I still haven’t managed to corral my thoughts into any semblance of coherence. Lots of fun, exciting, great stuff happened there. I promise I’ll introduce you to the awesome people I met and regale you with
In awe of the seemingly small Read More »
Four weeks ago today, four bombs exploded in London. Two weeks ago today, four more bombing attempts failed. Today London is on high alert for terrorist activity. According to an online news article I just read, they’ve launched one of the most expensive police campaigns ever. Today. Grace arrived in London about 12 hours ago.
“The distance just dissolves into the love.” Read More »
I feel like someone scooped up a big stack of photographs, tossed them in the air, and I’m catching glimpses of golden memories as they fall around me. I want to snatch each one, show it to you, and tell you all about it. But then the next one catches my eye, and my thoughts
“Little by little, one travels far.” J.R.R. Tolkien Read More »
May is an interesting month for me. Sort of an emotional smorgasbord. I know what’s on the menu, but I still find myself surprised by the intensity of the flavors. May 5th is our anniversary. This year marked twenty-six years of marital monkeyshines. Get married, y’all. Then have a few kids. It’ll grow you up
The praise band meets before church each Sunday to run through the music, so I leave our house about 45 minutes before George and Jacob do. When they arrive, Jacob comes into the sanctuary and listens until time for Sunday school. I sit with my back to the congregation, but I can see the whole
That’s Enough Practice Read More »
Remember the standard, elementary school, first-day-back-to-class assignment? Every year it was the same thing. “Okay, boys and girls, take out a sheet of notebook paper, and write your name in the top right corner.” Then the teacher would pick up a brand new stick of chalk and write these words on her pristine blackboard. “What
“My Adventures” by ElleZymn, Chapter One: Rocky Mountain High Read More »
When I got in my car Wednesday night to drive home from Tyler, I tried to plug Over the Rhine’s “Good Dog Bad Dog” into my CD player. The machinery would whir a bit then spit the CD back out. Between attempts I’d hear snatches of beautiful classical music, but I mostly ignored it. I