I’ve become obsessed with ridding my house of clutter. It’s possible that I’m procrastinating on the deadline for The Forever Sky (Montana Gold, book 4). Or maybe the urge to spring clean has taken hold of me. I suspect something else is inspiring this purge, however. The closer we move to our family’s departure for Europe, … Continue Reading ››

Schedules, to-do lists, planners -- I love them all. Anything to do with organizing grabs my attention. One of my earliest childhood memories was of filling sheets of lined paper with the numbers I was learning to draw. My simple system allowed one number per row, written over and over across the page. An older … Continue Reading ››

The unknown is always part of the mix when you travel. Whether you take it as an adventure or shrink in fear depends largely on your attitude.

I’ve always been something of a loner, which is why it’s so hard for me to be an author. Maybe God does this sort of thing on purpose – forces wallflowers into the spotlight. I don’t know.

I first noticed a problem when my husband proudly displayed my first (autobiographical) magazine article to our friends in … Continue Reading ››

Welcome to Mountain Brook Ink's 2018 Holiday Blog Tour! We're so excited you've decided to join us on this journey of family, friends, traditions, and memories over the next month. You as our reader have done so much to pour into our lives, and this season we want to give back to … Continue Reading ››

Marian’s memorial service featured standing room only.  I listened to attendees eagerly praise my friend and asked myself some hard questions. How many people would my own funeral draw, and what would people say about me?

We’re warned not to compare ourselves to others, but in this case it did me good. Marian had mentored me … Continue Reading ››

Having a visionary mindset makes a person refuse to accept limitations. That can be a benefit, except when it's a drawback. We all know someone who builds castles in the air but can't lay the first brick on terra firma.

Your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness --that's a truism for a reason.  I have … Continue Reading ››

“Let those who thoughtfully consider the brevity of life remember the length of eternity.” Thomas Ken

When you are struggling to breathe, life’s troubles distill into one simple matter. Thinking of anything else becomes impossible, as I learned when I faced my own mortality.

The wildfire smoke that obliterated summer’s glory triggered my mild asthma. I’d successfully … Continue Reading ››

When you have a permanent case of wanderlust, as I do, you think a lot about leaving home. Distant hillsides, waterfalls, beaches, and cities call out to be visited. The fragrance of adventure beckons like a heady rose in a garden of delights. Ah, yes, travel!

In a few short years a life of travel will … Continue Reading ››