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What Good Are Fences Anyway?
When we moved to our mountain farm in Tennessee, a multitude of fences zigzagged across our property. Most of the posts and rails were still sturdy but a good number were shaky, at best, or simply falling down. My husband and I questioned why some of the fencing was even needed by the previous owners.…
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Sow Generously and Wisely for a Spirit Filled Life
The days grow longer and signs of spring abound. It’s time to plant the garden. Depending on where you live, you may already have seeds in the ground. I do. The “cold tolerant” vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, and beets, do well early in the season. Whereas the tender tomato plants must wait until the…
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What is the Measure of Success?
Over this past weekend, my husband and I spent a considerable amount of time digging around in the mud. We were attempting to replace a broken stock tank in order to divert water from the natural spring which runs down the mountain behind our home. Between the tremendous amount of water flowing from this spring…
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Hidden Treasures in Small Packages
Raising honeybees is a labor of love. Or, let me restate this another, more honest way. Attempting to raise honeybees is an exasperating task. Any beekeeper will tell you this fact. Honeybees are vulnerable to just about anything. If it’s too hot or too cold, too wet or too dry they will die. They are…
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Ready, Set . . . Wait: Cultivating the Tender Art of Patience
Spring is here! Maybe. The seasons are fickle in the mountains. One day the temperature is in the 70’s, only for it to plummet down to freezing the next. Last weekend I mowed the lawn and two days later, it snowed. I’m ready. I’m set. But wait. Spring is not here yet. I’m slowly learning…
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Reaching the Mountaintop: Three Ways to Overcome the Arrival Fallacy
Do you long to live on a mountaintop? Like many other people, this was my dream. Mountaintop living consumed my thoughts as my husband and I searched for the perfect home. In my mind, this goal made absolute sense. If I left behind the busyness and booming growth of my birthplace, then I could find…
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When Something Good Feels Hard
For every ending, there is a new beginning. For each step forward, we must move from where we stand. This letting go is a necessary but difficult part of living. When something good feels hard, there is a sort of grief that takes place. We mourn for what’s been, before we can truly embrace what’s…
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What Dreams Live in Your Imagination?
I’m a dreamer. I always have been since I was a child. As an avid reader, I imagined myself in faraway lands, even traveling to outer space. My cousins and I composed plays from our imaginings which we presented to our parents during our visits together. We built tree houses and pretended to be pirates.…
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Seeking Out My Solitary Place
Our boots crunch in the new fallen snow blanketing the path as we wind our way through the forest. From a nearby bush, a cardinal startles at our presence. With a flash of red and the flurry of wings, he is gone. My husband and I walk in companionable silence as the trees bend to-and-fro…
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Like a Rose in Winter
Like a rose in winter caught by frost too soon, Is a beautiful mind fading far ahead of its doom. Petals float through our fingers as we try to stop their fall, But our efforts prove futile, your fragile memories lost to us all. Mother, dear Mother, where did you go? Like a rose in…
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The Best Christmas Gift Ever
What was your best Christmas gift as a child? This is a common ice-breaker question at holiday parties and answers are as varied as Christmas ornaments on a tree. For girls, Barbie dolls are a common favorite with some kind of truck as a special remembrance for the boys. For me, it was a rocking…
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Is Life Driving You in Circles?
Do you sometimes feel like you’re driving in circles like a race car at the Indy 500? I know I do. Life moves along at such a rapid pace. Often, I can’t find an exit to simply stop. Can you relate? This dilemma reminds me of an incident that happened years ago to my good…
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What Is That in Your Hand?
What is that in your hand? A voice within my dream inquired. Sudden and distinct, the question woke me from my slumber. I peered at my hand, but my palm was empty . . . vacant. At first glance, I held nothing in my hand. All the while, my mind struggled to remember. Where have…
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Fix My Focus on the Future
My life is full of distractions. If it’s not social media grabbing my attention, I’m ruminating about the rising price of gasoline or the dismal performance of the stock market. Each one of us is bombarded on a daily basis with an overwhelming load of negative information. No wonder the rate of anxiety and depression…
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A Light Shining Within the Darkness
Have you ever tried to walk outside after dark without a flashlight? Unless you’re familiar with the path, it’s nearly impossible to avoid bumping into hidden objects. However, if you allow your eyes to adjust, the glow from the moon is enough to illuminate your route. Even though it’s dim, this light shining within the…
