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
Subscribe for Updates!
If you’d like to be notified when I post new stories, sign up below.
I promise I will not flood your inbox with emails.
It Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas
I 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 had been sick, and she…
Hot Dogs Instead of Steak
This 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 (similar to an opera but…
Stubbornly Leaning
I 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 helped me write.) If you…
My Way
I 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 does before she puts the…
No Easter Photos
When I was a little girl, there was no question that my family would spend Easter weekend with my grandparents and attend Sunday church services with them. This also meant…
Sitting In a Cathedral
For 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 crops, an old barn that…
The Guitar
My grandfather and his brother Nathan were musicians in a band that toured. Well, actually, it was just the two of them, and by “toured” I mean they played the…
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 Oxford online dictionary defines manners…