Gretchen Louise

little things

Teary eyes blur the story on the screen. Because it reminded me of the girl I used to be. Young and in love.  Happy and care free. Trusting implicitly in my Savior.  Seeing every gift as one from His hand.  Knowing He would withhold no good thing. What happened to that girl?  When did life…

Going to Sleep on the Farm

“How does a cow go to sleep — tell me how? How does a cow go to sleep?”

By the time it’s pages are half through, Mary’s eyes are drooping. It seems that the effect of saying “go to sleep” over enough times induces actual sleep on the part of a tired toddler—not to mention the yawns that Daddy is doing his best to suppress as he reads!

Going to Sleep on the Farm is one of our 18-month-old daughter Mary Kate’s favorite books…

my mirror

When I look in my mirror, I see a momma tired, eyes on the verge of overflowing with tears of exhaustion. When I look in my mirror, I see hair that’s not as curly as it used to be. when I look in my mirror, I see a face and figure swelled many times its…

Beginning Reader’s Bible

At age 3 she isn’t quite a “beginning reader,” but my daughter loves The Beginning Reader’s Bible anyway. Marijke ten Cate’s illustrations are bright, realistic, and detailed enough to keep any toddler looking at them for longer than the page takes to read. I like The Beginning Reader’s Bible, too—because unlike most children’s Bibles which…

5 Years Ago…

Five years ago I couldn’t stop staring at the antique engagement ring on my finger and marveling at how God had provided it. Five years ago I couldn’t stop smiling, even as the emotions of engagement and wedding planning overwhelmed me. Five years ago I was trying on wedding dresses and discovered that the shop…

clinging…

I need something to grab on to, something to steady me.

A goal to focus on, a plan to live by.

I want just the right parenting philosophy that will help me have perfect children.

I need the right schedule to help me organize my day and make me productive.

I long for perfect fellowship with like-minded families living nearby.

I look around so desperately for something to cling to.

But I already know the truth.

focus

Sometimes I feel like I’m missing the Reason for life.  Every single day. In my parenting, it’s my inability to find “answers”. In my marriage, it’s seeing my sinful self. The day to day stress of life gets my eyes off the cross—when it should make me run to it! The only time I am…

friends

When I was younger, my friends were the people I talked to all the time.  On the phone, in person, via hand-written letters or super-long emails. Sharing my most sacred thoughts and deepest secrets. When I was younger, my friends and I had lots of time—time for making new friends, for staying in touch with…

5 minutes

Just five minutes, I thought.  If I could just have five minutes of quiet, all to myself—to be still, to read, to think, to write.  Just five minutes.  I might feel sane again.  I might be able to hear myself think for the five minutes thereafter.  I might be able to function. But with two…

Blog

Love, Personified

Dearest Love, You talked to me when I was your sisters’ friend.  You treated me normally when we were in those awkward early years of adolescence.  You teased me just like you teased your sisters so I could be myself. You were a friend to me when I was a silly, frumpy, opinionated teenager.  You…

The End.

The End.