Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Someone to Devour Sounds gruesome, doesn’t it? Like something out of a zombie or horror movie. However, there is more of that sort of thing going on than we realize. A friend of mine had her computer hacked the other day, and the culprit obtained …
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Did you choose a “word for the year” at the beginning of 2023? Many people did. It has become a friendlier variation on the New-Year’s-Resolution theme. Researchers say resolutions last between two weeks and one month. I was surprised they lasted that long. However, a …
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer A lot is said in February about the heart. A lot of money is spent too. Advertisers market flowers, candy, cards, and jewelry all connected to the little red or pink ♥-shape denoting love, affection, fondness, and fidelity. And of course the ♥ looks nothing …
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Have you ever suffered from “imposter syndrome?” Misgivings about what you’ve been called to do. “Me – teach?” “Me – sing?” “Me – help the sick/poor/lonely?” As an author, I know well the spidery footsteps of doubt crawling up my shoulder … “You – write?” …
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Most moms have a way of knowing what their children are capable of, whether it’s good or ornery. They also usually know what’s going on. Especially at important gatherings. One day in a small Middle Eastern town roughly halfway between an inland sea and the Mediterranean, …
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Do you ever get so busy that you ignore other people? In too big of a hurry to sense their need. So tied up in your own thoughts that you miss the obvious. I do. Maybe that’s why I enjoy accounts of Jesus meeting people …
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer When I was in elementary school, two of my classmates were identical twins. Even their names were nearly the same: Arlene and Darlene. I rarely knew who was who. As an adult, I’m learning the difference between two nearly identical words: expectation and expectancy. They …
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer A new calendar faces us. New challenges, new goals, new opportunities. And honestly, a lot of the same-ol’ same-ol’ repetitions we could do without. Yet, in spite of all those things we have no control over, we can choose to control our responses to them. …
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Iconic images of frozen Niagara Falls have hit the Internet as hard as a recent wintry storm hit North America. Amazing that the water’s thunderous, rushing journey can be stopped. I’ve never been to New York and the Niagara River, but I’ve heard the roar …
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Memories decorate more Christmases than all the world’s tree ornaments, lights, and trimmings combined. For some people, those memories aren’t so pleasant. For others, they are the core of the season. My adult son displays a lighted miniature village in his home–the same village he …
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer If you were God, how would you introduce yourself to your creation? I’d be 27 years old, a size 8 with flawless complexion, no white hair, and an IQ of 145. I would not show up as a baby, completely helpless and totally dependent upon …
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Have you ever prayed for something so long that when it finally showed up you didn’t believe it? A Jewish priest in 1st-century Judea did. Zechariah prayed for years that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would have a child. This man knew the …
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Pumpkin pie, roasting turkey, and pine-scented candles perfume my home this time of year. The aromas please me, soothe me, and fill me with a sense of well-being and peace. Some people call that aromatherapy – an ancient concept. Asian and Middle Eastern cultures have …
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer When asked what advice I have for aspiring writers, I say, “Don’t quit.” Sometimes I say, “Never give up.” And often I add, “Keep writing.” My advice is boringly repetitive. However, that’s the kind of stick-to-itiveness required for most worthwhile endeavors. One of the easiest …
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer About this time every year, an unusual looking fruit appears in the produce section of the supermarket, one that I first sampled at my grandparents’ farm in California: Pomegranates. The only attractive thing about a pomegranate is its exquisite garnet color. Beyond that, the round, …