Confused by Balloons, Comforted by Banners
The first time I saw it, I laughed. A runner with a balloon tied to his back. Is someone trying to be the circus clown? Stand out in the...
Author: Maria Mullet
The Ups and Downs of Hand-Me-Downs
I grew up on hand-me-downs. There were the hand-me-down clothes, the hand-me-down dolls (anyone else remember old, matted doll hair that makes your skin crawl?), the...
Pulled Taut from the Heavenlies
When I hear the word tension, all the negative feelings rise to the surface. I think of tense muscles, hard meetings, and walking-on-eggshells to avoid a burst. My knee-jerk...
When Disagreement Becomes Reality
Last week I looked across my teaching podium to my high school students and said, “I never thought a global pandemic would split churches, divide families, splinter relationships.”...
Leaning Into Expectant Hope
Surprises are great, but anticipating the event is half the fun. Last year, my parents flew halfway across the world to spend the holidays with me....
Truly Unsinkable
The Titanic ruined the word unsinkable for me. Instead of giving me confidence, I get visions of what was promised as unsinkable on the ocean floor....
The Work of the Trowel
Holidays often find me with my hands in the dirt. My host city’s religious culture is split three ways. This means a variety of temples/places of...
An Open Letter to My Planner
Dear planner, I know our defalt. Scribbled-full pages. Hour-by-hour appointments and obligations. A quick spot for a friend here, time for a sandwiched-in conversation there. I...
Feeding the Mind
It took me days to pack my bags. I weighed and re-weighed each suitcase, shuffling the heavy things, narrowing down what could actually make the final cut. I took...
Starry Eyes and Grape-less Vines
For two years I had looked forward to The Week. The Week was when every member of my immediate family was going to be together under...
