In no particular order, here are the best books I read this year in Mandy-determined categories: Best History Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard Best Memoir Everything Sad Is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri Best Fiction Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry Runner Up Gilead by [...]
The magi recorded in Matthew 2 brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus. These wise men set all of Jerusalem abuzz with their inquiry: "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him" (Matthew 2:2). When they [...]
Tears filled my little person’s eyes. To her extreme delight, her friend from school had invited her to his birthday party at a trampoline park. And to her extreme anticipation, her cousin had invited her to a mermaid birthday party at her house. To her extreme chagrin, both unmissable events were scheduled for the same [...]
I live in a family of space nerds. Not the STEM-drinking, pocket-protector-wearing, can't-imagine-doing-anything-else kind of space nerds. Not that kind of space nerd. We're the kind that buy NASA t-shirts for stocking stuffers, follow SpaceX tests and launches, and watch all the documentaries and movies portraying the Space Race. Books on the shelf range from [...]
Here I am again, the glowing screen in my hand the only light in the room. Here I am again, mindlessly scrolling through feed after feed. Here I am again, exchanging true rest and purpose for absentminded snooping and boredom. This brings new perspective to Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:6: “Do not give dogs what [...]
Trudging through the endless sand, they searched for food. Every bite they took reminded them that there was one less morsel for their next meal. Knowing dads and moms, many went with less so their children could have what they needed. Fathers glanced at mothers. Mothers watched their children in concern. Their daily food dwindled. [...]
Our neighborhood is full of dedicated walkers. From our perch on Romance Point Street, we can see friendly faces walking by. There is a group of three friends who walk together every day, rain or shine. Pulled along by excited dogs on canvas leashes, you can set a clock by their commitment. Since our kitchen [...]
I’m sure it’s happened to you, too…you’re walking or driving along, eyes on the road, and someone declares: “Look! A rainbow!” If someone hadn’t called out, you might have passed by without recognizing the beauty before you. Caught up in the cares of the moment, you needed someone else to point it out to you. [...]
I walked by our refrigerator to see blue painter’s tape swathed around the entire thing. Words festooned the front, written in an anonymous yet recognizable hand: "Leftovers are bad!" "Destroy leftovers!" "Nasty, ancient, dangerous food!" "Time to change the world!" So now I think I know how a certain 9-year-old feels about leftovers. This event [...]
Once upon a time, when all was perfect and right and beautiful in the world, God planted a garden. "And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed." (Genesis 2:8) In God's perfect creation, in His idyllic world, was there something that [...]
