Shade Tree Stories
musings and memories rooted in faith and family
Latest Stories from Under the Shade Trees
- Ministry of Presence: what I learned sitting with a dying woman, part 2In Part 1, I mentioned Job and his three friends who came to sit with him during his time of intense suffering and grief. For…
- Ministry of Presence: what I learned sitting with a dying woman (part 1)Recently I was asked to pray with a nursing home resident who was nearing the end of her life. Other than her name, the only…
- R-e-s-p-e-c-t; What does it mean?I’m convinced that most people today conflate the concept of manners and respect, and I do not believe that the two are the same. The…
- The GuitarMy grandfather and his brother Nathan were musicians in a band that toured. Well, actually, it was just the two of them, and by “toured”…
- Sitting In a CathedralFor Mother’s Day my husband took me to my grandparents’ farm. And when I say “farm,” I mean 110 acres that includes fields for growing…
- No Easter PhotosWhen I was a little girl, there was no question that my family would spend Easter weekend with my grandparents and attend Sunday church services…
- My WayI had a very proud momma moment last week. I hopped in my daughter’s car for a short ride across town and, as she always…
- Stubbornly LeaningI was asked to write a devotional for a ladies group–“Growing in 2024.” Here’s what I came up with. (Rather, here’s what I think God…
- Hot Dogs Instead of SteakThis Christmas was my second year singing Handel’s Messiah with a large choir and orchestra. If you aren’t familiar with The Messiah, it’s an oratorio…
- It Doesn’t Feel Like ChristmasI had coffee with a friend the morning after Christmas. “It just didn’t feel like Christmas this year,” she said. Many of her family members…
- Shouting Alleluias and Cuss WordsI’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…
- Being PresentI 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…
- What test scores and transcripts won’t tell you and letting God do the talkingMy 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…
- It Matters So LittlePresidential hopefuls take the debate stage to brag about their accomplishments and bluster about the incompetencies of their opponents. At the same time, a frail…
- Singing Children’s SongsNo summer of my childhood would have been complete without Vacation Bible School. Wafer cookies wrapped in a napkin, styrofoam cups of Kool-Aid, crafts in…
- 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…
- 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…
- 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…
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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
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Marla and Pa, 1978
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