Category: Life with a Reader
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The Selected Diaries: 5 Things

In February I started journaling again because I was feeling so dry. Inspiration had trickled to the tiniest stream. That’s how I came to this Friday morning and nothing ready to publish here. In looking over the last few weeks, I see snippets of things to share but none of it makes a real article.…
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Create Your Own Happily-Ever-After

I have learned to read marriage advice books with a grain of salt. There might be some small idea that really works for me. I don’t ever expect to do exactly as the author says. And in the process, I noticed there are not a lot of creative resources for the happily married. Most marriage…
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Pattern Language

We miss so much because we don’t know the exact word to describe what we see. I’m on a mission to notice and appreciate beauty. I heard recently that we only notice and talk about the things we have specific names for. You cannot talk about something if you don’t have a word for it.…
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A Year of Beauty

Beauty is my word in 2026. The first thing I do after choosing my word is write a definition. Beauty: n. a subjective quality that brings pleasure to the senses or mind Synonyms: loveliness, pretty, radiance The first Bible verse that came to mind when I thought of beauty was about the Proverbs 31 woman.…
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Meaningful Quiet Time With God

Sometimes I sit down for a quiet time and feel unsure what to do. I waste time trying to know if I should read this or that, I don’t have pen or pencil handy, or procrastinate because I don’t have a plan. I see my devotional time like a vine. Without a structure, it sprawls…
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How to Fly in 2026

I’ve gotten the mail, checked the weather, made a cup of tea, lit some candles, visited the bathroom, complained to my sister that I don’t know what to write. There’s no excuses left and here I sit at the blank page. The three-week break was good but the current article ideas need more contemplation. Even…
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Frankie’s Christmas Orange: A One Act Play

When I was a girl and my friends came over, we would spend the afternoon in the attic. My mom loved to save things and this was a treasure store of old clothes and shoes, out-of-date paraphnelia and broken furniture that had hopes of being repaired. Naturally, in this imaginative habitat, there were some afternoons…
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6 Cozy Winter Drinks

This article is your friendly reminder to take time to drink something warm and comforting. I don’t pretend to be a barista and am not even interested in learning the finer points of drink-making, but when I need a warm cup of comfort these are the things I turn to. Maybe none of these drinks…


