Love… One Sip At A Time // A Valentine Tea Party
I started hosting tea parties in an older home propped as pretty as you please on the corner of a quiet street. A family of four in a two-bedroom, one-bath home made for a tight fit, and tea parties felt downright snug, but no one would change a thing. Some teas were scripture-based, and others celebrated holidays, but every time, the room filled with the scent of scones, floral tea, and...
Sunday Snippets
Kyle Estepp continued our series on life practices we want to develop individually and corporately, with this week's focus being on our own grace story. (2 Peter) "Without Christ, we were all victims of a massive hijack and were being held hostage by our own sin and the power of Satan. The place of our captivity was called "futile ways." All was futile, the blowing up of bubbles that burst....
Friday Fave: The Creative Call
If forced to get rid of all but five of my writing books, The Creative Call, An Artist's Response to the Call of the Spirit would be one of five. It's a practical and insightful workbook with eight weeks of material, plus a bonus retreat guide for group or individual use. Janice Elsheimer helps writers learn how to recognize, develop, and respond to God's creative call as we grow in our...
Transparent or Fake-O?
"Are you okay?" "I'm fine." "How are you?" "I'm fine." The dialogue between myself and a young woman sitting beside me at church on Sunday continues to swirl about in my mind and conscience. Neither of us were fine that morning. Tears were wiped from her face more than once while her husband gently patted her leg. My pain wasn't as obvious but it was still there. And yet we...
Sunday Snippets: Your Grace Story
It's great to be sharing snippets from our Sunday's service at Summit Upstate once again. There is one dilemma, however. Jason's sermon was so riveting that I forgot to take notes for a good part of the service. Yes, it was that good. My snippets-attempt doesn't do the sermon justice, but here goes: If you know Jesus, you have a grace story unfolding through your life—and each one is unique....
Friday Fave: Clean Day Splurges!
I skimp on some things but two splurges bring an immediate worth-every-penny kind of smile to my face: Mrs. Meyer's Honeysuckle Liquid Dish Soap One drop fills a sink with fragrant bubbles that last over an hour. Simply divine! No sweet chemical smell here. (Target, $3.99 - one tiny droplet!) Mrs. Meyer's Fabric Softener, Lavender Scented I save this splurge for blankets,...
On This Halloween Night, Pray.
On this Halloween night, pray. Seven years ago, I received a call from a woman in a class I was teaching at the time. She asked if she could stop by and talk for awhile. I didn't know her but the heaviness of spirit she carried was obvious. Sitting face to face, her tears fell hard, almost heaving, as she went on to share the origin of her weight for 30+ years. As a young child, her parents...
Inviting the Greatest Friend of All to the Party
In this cabin sitting atop a steep mountain in the Saluda mountains, gas logs roared, laughter erupted, prayers arose, tears trickled, hot spiced cider simmered, and creativity stirred during long writing sessions. I was reminded that: God is sovereign. Things didn't turn out exactly as we'd planned, but we bowed the knee, embraced His plan, and left the mountain with inexplicable...
The Best Gift Was No Surprise At All
Gifts of all types abounded during our long weekend getaway: Time with the hubster. We enjoy each others company even more twenty-two years later. The cabin. Shiny hardwood floors, bright, clean, quiet, and equipped with a flip-switch fireplace, an oversize comfy chair, and the perfect reading lamp (yes, this is an important detail!) The back porch. Views of a well-grazed pasture,...
Cathy Baker
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