“Do you always read to your kids like that?” she queried. My friend was referring to my rendition of a Dr. Seuss classic delivered at tongue-twister speed from a rocking chair in the church nursery: “Would you like them in a house? Would you like them with a mouse? Would you eat them in a…
We live on a sand dune high above Lake Michigan. Over time, the landscape changes entirely, eroded and caressed by calm and storm alike. Mostly rugged, sometimes docile, its environment is never static, always blowing, moving, and changing in westerly gales that send the sand airborne and provoke water into indignant waves. The sand itself…
Have you ever said to yourself, I thought we’d have more time? If you’ve ever unexpectedly lost someone you loved, you’ve probably thought that. You thought they’d be there longer. You thought you could have one more conversation. Share one more cup of coffee. Laugh together just one. more. time. It just doesn’t work that…
The soft chimes on my phone alarm sounded on the nightstand next to me. I opened my eyes long enough to find the phone, slide the alarm to snooze, and set it back down. For one blissful second, life felt good and normal. But just as quickly, the bleak reality of my life rushed in…
A few weeks ago, I submitted a devotion to the editor of an anthology. In my submission, I recalled feeling out of place in the U.S. when I first emigrated to the U.S. from India. I shared how the visceral experience of being a foreigner helped me understand my biblical identity as a foreigner on…
Moms tend to be preoccupied with time. Or more precisely, with time management. The moms in the MOPS group I coordinate ask for a time management speaker every semester, worried by the way the days seem to stretch out forever yet also mysteriously elapse while they’re changing diapers and administering snacks, often leaving them feeling…
My older cousin visited us on our recent trip to India. She was thrilled to see our family and wanted to do something nice for us. She tried to take us shopping and buy us some new clothes. Since we were in town for a short break and didn’t need new clothes, I told her…
I don’t remember where I first heard this quote from Geoffrey Chaucer, “Time waits for no man,” but I do know it resonates more today than whenever I first heard it. The original quote states that not only does time not wait for anyone, but it also claims, “Time and tide wait for no man.”…
Not long ago, I surveyed my subscribers to my newsletter about creativity. I asked, “What roadblocks keep you from doing the creative things you enjoy?” It wasn’t even a contest. Forty percent of those surveyed said “time.” Which is understandable: there are limited seconds each day, and many creative activities—for instance, the intricate crochet figurines…
I really don’t consider myself a generous person, but maybe that’s because when I think of generosity, I’m usually thinking about money. But we can be generous with other things as well. And one thing we all have is time—a precious commodity. Too often, we tell ourselves we need to hold onto things, time included….