living in light of eternity
Move over, ducks. The Gumball Dynasty is a-comin'. It all started with the World Vision Christmas catalog. At the table one night, we poured over it: "Look! A goat for only $75! A water buffalo will set you back $1100." You might be surprised to hear that we are contemplating buying livestock, but on the... Continue Reading →
Little man really wanted to try some of that vanilla I was putting in the banana bread. "It's yucky, buddy," I said. "Yummy in the bread, not so good by itself." "Pleeease?" "You won't like it." "But Mom, can't I just learn the hard way?" Oh my gosh, he is just like me! How many... Continue Reading →
There's something about packing that really brings home the big truths about life: I do not need that many shoes. I have bottles of cardamom, turmeric, and coriander that I have used maybe once but that have been occupying space in my little cabinet for a whole lotta years. And I really do not plan... Continue Reading →
Zeke ate a mouse the other day. Bit the head right off. Zeke is the name of our neighbor's 7-year-old son, but fortunately, he does not come into this story. Zeke also happens to be the name of a very fluffy black cat that has adopted us. I am not a cat person. I hear... Continue Reading →
It started on Sunday. There we were, eating cinnamon buns, when a neighbor knocked on the door. "It occurred to me you probably don't realize today is the time change," she said. Daylight Savings? Uh-oh. We are a little unplugged up here on the mountain -- no internet that doesn't require a hike, no phones,... Continue Reading →
I was in third grade when I figured out I was... different. My beloved teacher, Mrs. Sands, made me stay in from recess to clean out my desk. She showed me the other desks, pencils neatly lying in the pencil tray, notebooks and a couple papers stacked inside. Then she showed me my own desk,... Continue Reading →
You gotta love helpful warning labels: Caution -- do not sit under coconut tree. Warning -- rat poison causes cancer in laboratory rats. Ten cuidado -- do not rub jalapeno juice in your eyes. But those flammable pajama labels are so, so important, because I was all set to build a campfire in the kids'... Continue Reading →
Books, poems, paper airplanes, walks in the woods, caterpillars, magnifying glasses, music, tasty things that can be measured, fascinating people, unbelievable tales of adventure and derring-do, wonder, telescopes, paint, hammer and nails, candle wax, beeswax, curls of pencil shavings, smudges, laughing, brain teasers, trivia, hearts poured out on paper, challenge, reward, curiosity, dreams. School starts... Continue Reading →
He wants to play like Chris Thile, wants his fingers to fly across the strings, wants the notes to dance. We gave him a little mandolin for Christmas, an armful of song. His excitement is contagious -- what could be! The little polished bit of rosewood is a dream, a possibility. It reminds me of... Continue Reading →
Want to share a video with you of our brave friends, Peter and Alana, and their beautiful girls, Katie and Ellie. Ellie suffered an aneurysm five weeks into her life on this planet, and has since spent way more than her share of time in the hospital. Usually when I think of Ellie, I think... Continue Reading →
Catherine's Letters 