The Story Behind the Poem The trees outside on our house make autumn magical. I noticed one fall in particular how thankful I was that these trees faithfully ushered in beauty for us. Every spring, they give us hope of warmth. Every summer, they burst with life. Every fall, even in the death of their leaves, [...]
The Story Behind the Poem My dear friend was very pregnant...and very sick. She barely had the energy to stand, let alone birth a child. We felt hopeless for her, unable to carry her child for her, only able to bring a few meals, clean a few corners. When I feel most powerless is when [...]
The Story Behind the Poem If you've been around here long enough, you may have noticed that I love describing feelings with color (humility, a loved one, seasons). These colors describe the prayer of one in pain. A deep pain that sadly, too many people have felt. The loss of a child. My dear friends [...]
On Grief in Times of Joy by Sarah Steele March 2016 Joy It's found in the first cry Of your first child It's in your first home And the papers you filed In your true love Of five, ten, and more years And in deep life friends Who have laughed, cried, and cheered It's in [...]
The Story Behind the Poem My Papa was a major figure in my life. Living most of my childhood 3 miles down the road from him and my Grandma was a treasure that my own children have not yet received for themselves. He attended many (most?) of my athletic and dramatic events and told The [...]
The Story Behind the Poem If you've ever been involved in a small group, one that was committed to each other on a weekly basis, then you know that groups go in phases. We've been in a small group (our church calls them Life Groups) since October 2008 and my! have we experienced all these [...]
The Story Behind the Poem Have you ever been found out? It's an awful feeling. Heart in throat. Can't eat. Breathe. Get out of bed. There's a process that starts with shame and ends with grace. If you know that feeling, you'll understand this poem. The Colors of Humility by Sarah Steele August 2014 Humility [...]
The Story Behind the Poem My husband gave me an hour (a whole glorious hour!) when our first two children were 22 months and 2 months old. I biked down to a coffee shop and sat outside, just soaking up the quiet. Even with the bustle of the farmer's market around me, I was alone [...]
The Story Behind the Story My daughter arrived in our family when my son was 20 months old. Just after that first week, I wanted to show my boy how much he still meant to me even though we had another family member. So I got a babysitter and took him out, hopeful for a beautiful [...]
The Story Behind the Writing For my 30th birthday, I knew I wanted to do something crazy, do something out-of-the-ordinary (for me), do something edgy. So. I got a tattoo. (All right, don't roll your eyes, all you crazy people out there.) It was a stalk of wheat and the word dayenu. The wheat represents [...]