Sometimes we just can't hold all the craziness in. So, we let it out. And we have a goofy face contest.Scrunchy-face Bubby.Look-down-the-back-of-my-throat-and-see-if-you-can-find-my-gizzard Bubby.Chubby BubbyScrunchy-face chubby BubbySnortin'-piggy-face BubbyCheesy BubbyAaagh-there's-a-weird-orange-thing-on-my-head-and-I-look-like-somethin'-off-Star-trek  Bubby Aaagh-there's-a-weird-thing-on-my-head-and-I-can't-see-nothin' BubbyHappy HopeyI'm-so-happy-my-head-hurts HopeyI'm-so-happy-I'm-falling-out-of-my-seat HopeyWhere'd-you-go HopeyTouch-my-nose-because-I-can't-quite-make-the-piggy-face HopeyOh-no-there's-no-more-chocolate! HopeyAaagh-there's-a-weird-orange-thing-on-my-head-and-it-makes-me-so-happy Hopey. Cool-you-should-lick-the-air-because-it-tastes-great HopeyHi-I'm-an-ole'-grann[...]

 There is a God of glory. Petal-weaver, Moss-Maker, Conductor of wind symphony. Daily at workabove and beneath me.  I sense Him around me, reach out to feel Him. Maker of HeavenDweller of hearts.The One who captures my utmost attentionArrests me in wonder. He captivates. Him all beauty.    He is Light.Gently Cascading.Warm and healing this heart of mine.PenetratingInmost places.  A tender shoot, I am opened.Unfurling, I stretch  To Him all there.Untwisting I reachOut to Him Up for Him.I soak in the light   of Him all joy. There is a Great Redeemer. Chaser of darkness.Slayer of sadness. Who comes to save. Cheerer of sore hearts.Lifter of heads.I find sweetest soul restin Him all Strength. He is the Center.Blazing bright C[...]

Once upon a time, there was a Bubby and his cute little sister, Hopey. And they were good friends because Hopey was incredibly fond of Bubby and Bubby was mostly fond of Hopey. I say mostly because Bubby was fond of Hopey on all the days, except the ones when she played with his trains, or took his favorite blue blankie, or attempted to eat off his plate, or tried to ride his bike, or sat too close to him during movie time. But, on all the other days, he was fond of her. Especially when she was sleeping. One day Bubby decided it was high time to find Hopey a prince. Not that Hopey was a princess because she wasn't. I mean, please don't misunderstand. She was as lovely and delightful as any princess could ever be, but she just wasn't exactly tender and fragile and dainty. Truth be told, she[...]

My redbud died. Well, actually it was Hope's. We got it to celebrate her first birthday and planted it sometime early September. And it looked beautiful those autumn months--some of those heart shaped leaves turning crimson just before falling off. I had tried to picture it years down the road, how it would look in that spot and wondered if little hands and feet would climb into it's branches and I'd thought about planting phlox underneath. It never occurred to me that this little "Hope-tree" wouldn't make it through the winter.And for weeks after the grass sprung up and the crocus bloomed and the daffodils came, I had walked out to that tree and looked for new growth. But, it never came. All the other redbuds have been at their peek all over our neighborhood, but not this little guy.I ben[...]

I wake up early on a Resurrection Sunday and slide open the back door. The moon gleams, soft beams lighting up all the dark and I whisper it quiet, "He is risen. He's alive." I think I hear the stars sing. This is the day. This is the day the Jesus followers hold so dear. The day we claim, ever so outlandishly, that though our God died to wash the world clean with His blood, He is not still dead. Deep in my heart, I know this is no small thing. That this Jesus, battered bloody and hanging from a cross, who breathed out stars and planets and life into this very chest, gave up His breath. Laid down His life. Then He lay in a tomb black as night, and there He put death in his grave. The earth shook. The rocks split. The world was turned upside down the day Jesus rose up and walked out, alive [...]

I'm awfully tired, but before I find some rest, I just wanted to show you some things I really loved today.Bubby asleep in his animal cave. My tulips.And all the plans I have for this little rock garden. The sky. It was so blue today. This beautiful indigo blue.Like, a deep beautiful indigo blue. I'm telling you, it was so blue!I walked around the yard just gaping up at it. I couldn't stop looking! It was just so blue! My daffodils. A whole row of them.They're just so yellow!And the centers are so orange! (Okay, I'll stop.)My house.(This is the back.)It's an amazing gift to have a house. Not everybody gets to live in a house.I love getting to live in a house. Our bent but budding peach tree.And the sweet way my husband told me once that we shoul[...]

Last weekend, Brent and I had the chance to get-away for the night, so we went up to Wheaton, IL to see a group of our favorite artists perform.  While we were there, we stopped in an old bookstore, owned by a sweet couple that we admire, and we browsed through their old, old books.I don't care how sophisticated and high-tech our society becomes, there's just no replacing old, old books. I wanted to buy something as a kind gesture, and though I'm a lover of old books, I'm not really a collector, so I happily picked this one--a book by one of my heroes in this life--Corrie ten Boom.Are you familiar with her? Oh, please, let me introduce you to her. She's a woman who changed the world--ever so courageously, in profound and quiet ways.During the last world war, as the brutal German army [...]

I don't know about ya'll folks, but I was born and raised in Arkansas and I'm proud of it. Ever bit.I think that makes me full-blooded redneck.But, if you're an offspring of someone born and raised in Arkansas, well, then that makes you part redneck.Shur'nuff.Which may explain why one of your favorite shirts is a John Deere shirt.(Sorry, lil' Hopey darlin'...but, it ain't yer fault.)  And you might be a redneck if you like the slides and you enjoy the swings, but you'd much prefer to just sit a spell and deal in rocks and dirt.And you might be a redneck if you know about a creek down in the holler and you refer to it as your swimmin' hole.So, you jump in the back of a pick-up and you can't help but goofy-grin.And smile big... Hair all flapp[...]

Bubby turned three. Which means we've known him now for three whole years. Three whole fun, adventurous, loud, beautiful years.So far, he's had two birthday parties. One at his Aunt Gee-Gee's house and one at his Pa-Nanny's house.We'll have another for him when we get back home, at his Grandpa Denny's house. That will be three whole birthday celebrations. And then we'll be done for a while. Which is a good thing, because I don't know how much more balloon blowin' a kid can take. Did you know it's hard to blow up balloons when you're three?In fact, it's practically impossible. You can blow, and you can blow, and you can even cross your eyes and blow, but it may not get you anything but a dizzy spell and a headache. So, you should probably leave the balloon blowin' to the grow[...]