Shade Tree Stories
musings and memories rooted in faith and family
Latest stories from Under the shade trees
- We’re Not Going Away
I can’t believe that it’s been 4 years this month since I had the honor and privilege of speaking at our nation’s capitol on behalf of nursing home residents in… - Where the Gospel Slows Down
On my last visit to the nursing home, I had two separate encounters that spoke to my heart about how we use our most valuable resource: time. The first experience… - Wave Watcher
I just got back from the beach. It was a quick, five day trip to Florida. As usual, I went prepared with a book, my journal, and my laptop. I… - Comparison; Thief of Joy…Sometimes
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” I had to look that up to see who is credited with saying that. Apparently, President Theodore Roosevelt was a smart guy. He said… - Connecting The Dots and A Happy Breakthrough
I’ve been doing a lot of work lately. Hard work. And I don’t mean manual labor. I mean the difficult work of sitting with your feelings, examining them, and processing… - Hailstones in Battle
A few weeks ago, on a Friday night, we were sleeping in our basement because the weather forecast was predicting strong storms for our area overnight. Around 5am, I was…
Welcome to my blog!
I’m a life-long Kentuckian from a family of life-long Kentuckians who can trace our land back to Daniel Boone. I’m a wife, a daughter, a sister, mom of two young adults, a teacher by nature and by training, mom of three Boston Terriers, lover of good food, travel, and proper English grammar (though I may not always use it on this site). Most importantly, I’m a child of God– a work in progress striving to follow Him faithfully and love others fiercely.
Learn more about me
Marla and Pa, 1978
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Welcome to the shade!
My grandparents lived in a house with no central air conditioning. As spoiled as I am today, I probably wouldn’t last one summer afternoon inside their house. Of course, we…
Christmas in July
“What about having Christmas in July?” That was a recent text I received from a nursing home volunteer. She had been crocheting teddy bears as Christmas gifts for the care…
Why do I have to learn this?
It’s back to school time! I don’t care how old I get, I’m always going to love the excitement that this season brings–the prospect of all the new things… learning…
Singing Children’s Songs
No summer of my childhood would have been complete without Vacation Bible School. Wafer cookies wrapped in a napkin, styrofoam cups filled with Kool-Aid, crafts in the church basement, and…
It Matters So Little
Presidential hopefuls take the debate stage to brag about their accomplishments and bluster about the incompetencies of their opponents. At the same time, a frail elderly woman lies in bed…
What test scores and transcripts won’t tell you and letting God do the talking
My daughter is in the process of applying to vet schools. It’s a highly competitive field, and though there is currently a national shortage of veterinarians, there are only so…
Being Present
I recently enjoyed a much-needed vacation to Hilton Head Island. I was blessed to spend some time relaxing on the beach and bike-riding on the trails through the pine trees…
Shouting Alleluias and Cuss Words
I’ve been absent for a bit. Sorry about that. I had a long bout of a Covid-like virus in November and I’ve been scrambling to catch up ever since. I…