By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer My husband and I watch a lot of football and I enjoy it. I think it’s because I am goal-oriented (no pun intended). I like to see an objective and make plans to reach it, giving attention to process and detail along the way.
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer An empty calendar and the first page of a blank journal mark my juncture of Known and Unknown. Behind me lie personal mountains of success and failure, as well as the mistakes, warnings, and recommendations of others along the way. But ahead of me?
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer When we think of the first Christmas (which was not called that at the time), we usually think of Mary and the infant Jesus huddled somewhere on the outskirts of an over-crowded Bethlehem during the first century. No light other than oil or candle.
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Remember when Christmas was simple? You were probably a child. Gifts Pine trees Lights Music As adults we complicate things. Parties Pre-lit trees Shopping without end Credit Can we simplify the season—enjoy it without getting caught up in the hoopla? Celebrate the Child? This
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Mary was once a common name for Jewish girls. It’s been a common name for other girls as well, primarily because of the first Mary mentioned in the Bible who was, in my opinion, quite uncommon. Uncommon because of the way she handled interruptions.
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer One man’s idea of born-in-a-barn is the forerunner of some of our contemporary Christmas décor. Tradition says this man was so disturbed by the secular materialism around Christmas, that he staged a living nativity scene or crèche to draw attention to the birth of
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Christmas memories rise around me each year like yeast rolls in a warm kitchen. Some are tender and sweet, and some carry a dash of heartache. I can choose which of them to carry with me and which to let go. No sense cluttering
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer We hear it a lot, don’t we? The cloaked condemnation that demands we “Be grateful,” for “things could be worse,” and we “have it better than most.” Some of us find it hard to swallow this Thanksgiving side-dish because we’ve filled ourselves on “But Why”
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer The three most important things to consider when investing in real estate are location, location, location. At least that’s what I’ve been told. This deliberate hyperbole points out the importance of where a property is. Realtors are credited with coining this catchy phrase about
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer As an author who lacks sketching and painting skills, I often sidestep artsy remarks by confessing that the only thing I draw is a conclusion. Joking aside, I believe this holds true for many of us. We are sometimes quick to judge, infer, or
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Several years ago I covered a local craft show for the newspaper and was captivated by the work of several lapidarists. One man displayed not only his beautiful, finished products but also rough stones – common rocks I might have kicked out of
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Staying connected today has never been easier, thanks to technology. And it’s never been harder. There’s too much going on. In fact there’s so much going on – so much technological noise – that we can miss the more important connections in our lives. Like those with real people. Staying
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer I have lived long enough to grow perspective. It’s like looking back after a long walk or drive, and seeing your starting place from a completely different viewpoint. That kind of perspective comes only with distance, age, or experience. In my young-adult life, my prayers
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Some of you will remember the not-too-distant past when Labor Day signaled the end of summer and the beginning of school. Okay, maybe that was longer ago than we care to admit. However, Labor Day still signals the end of summer (even though we technically
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer On my flight to a writers’ conference in California, I tossed around the idea that God made us porous. Like sponges. We absorb and we leak. Everything we listen to, read, and watch soaks into us in some way and seeps out in another. As