Blog
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Treasures and Tea Kettles
Some of my favorite childhood memories are woven into family visits with my Grandmother and Granddad Stewart. I always felt special the second my sister and I burst through their den door. They’d hug us, exclaim how much we’d grown, and listen to my incessant chatter. A loud whistle would reverberate through the house, and Grandmother would hurry to the kitchen to move the tea kettle from the burner. She’d lift the tin cover from the cake plate and slice big pieces of chocolate cake. We’d sit in the immaculate kitchen with the starched white curtains, red countertops, and gleaming gray floors my Granddad polished the way someone from the…
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A Saving Defense
I sank into the hotel room’s swivel chair and glanced at the paper calendar on the small desk. October 24, 2016. My husband had already left for work, and our two dogs had settled in for naps after their morning walk. I debated whether to join them. Strange how exhausted the mile walk had left me. Probably the stress of six weeks crowded into a hotel room waiting for repairs in our home to be completed. I slid my Bible toward me. I’d sleep later. Besides, the cat had joined the dogs and there was no room left on the bed. I turned to the day’s reading in Psalm 28,…
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A Symphony of Sounds
What sounds surround you as you read these words? Stop for a moment and listen. Are they peaceful, harsh, solitary, layered? At this exact moment, I hear a dog barking in the distance, the hum of a lawnmower next door, and the comforting whir of my refrigerator. I’m thankful for the gift of hearing the symphony of sounds around me. One of my favorite sounds is the call of sea gulls. No, I don’t mean thirty squawking gulls descending at the beach when someone pulls out crackers. I’m talking about the serene call of one or two soaring overhead. I immediately relax and imagine myself sitting in the warm sand…
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Afternoon Adventures
What are your favorite afternoon adventures? Do you love planting a garden of wildflowers? Cooking a gourmet meal? Maybe you enjoy sanding an old board so you can build something new. How about strapping on a parachute and flinging yourself into blue sky thousands of feet up? Umm, I’m starting to feel queasy … Fortunately, I love writing. My imagination can soar through the clouds while my feet stay rooted to the ground. I have friends who are quilters, photographers, musicians, decorators … and the list goes on. Everyone has a different idea of adventure, but behind each of our passions are experiences and people who contributed to that love.…
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Hungry? Unwrap A Hope Sandwich
What’s your favorite kind of sandwich? Here in eastern North Carolina, we have some delicious choices. Nestled on a side street in the lovely coastal town of Beaufort, the Beaufort Grocery offers a crab sandwich that’s out of this world. Sautéed crab cakes with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and a rémoulade sauce on a flaky croissant–yes, please. The Chelsea in beautiful, historic New Bern has a club sandwich that’s a go-to in our family–warm pita bread piled high with turkey, cheese, bacon, tomato, lettuce, and raspberry mayo. Wow! And of course, let’s not forget the cupcake sandwich … you know, what you make when you’re in the car with no napkins…
