Author Archives: gretchenr17

About gretchenr17

Wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend. Writer, farmer, fellow sojourner... at every turn I learn a bit more about God's wild mercies.

Harmonizing

Posted on December 3, 2019

December 1st was the first Sunday of Advent. It is officially time to sing Christmas music in church, one of my favorite times on the church calendar. I memorized the melody as soon as I could sing the lyrics to … Continue reading →

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Anxious much?

Posted on November 27, 2019

It has been five years since I was diagnosed with severe anxiety. Since my diagnosis, I have had a year of counseling and been put on medication. I have worked on recognizing my triggers and countering them with ways to … Continue reading →

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Labels 🏷

Posted on November 26, 2019

Conservative, Liberal, Progressive. Straight, Gay, Queer, Transgender. Vegan, Vegetarian, Meat-Eater. Atheist, Agnostic, Christian, Muslim, Jewish. Whenever we meet someone we put a label on him or her as if the person is an item in a grocery store and we … Continue reading →

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Roaring floods

Posted on November 22, 2019

I am a book junkie. I do not want to become a recovering book junkie, I just want to relish every one of my books. From the feel of the spine, to the smell of the printed paper, to the … Continue reading →

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Power and fools

Posted on November 20, 2019

I have index cards with Bible verses to use for reflection and memorization. Today I noticed a pattern of Scripture that focused on Who God is, what He offers, and how we can choose to react to Him. One of … Continue reading →

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From nothing into something

Posted on November 14, 2019

I throw no stones here, this is my personal story. I woke up around midnight to the song All of Me sung by Billie Holiday playing over and over again in my head. I got out of bed, took a … Continue reading →

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Brass and percussion

Posted on November 13, 2019

I am a bit of a romantic when it comes to the 1940’s. I know there were many who were still living frugally due to the Great Depression and then World War II. Yet, there is a sense of digging … Continue reading →

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Clouds

Posted on November 11, 2019

A favorite benefit of country life is an uninhibited sky. Our house faces east/west and every single day it would seem the sky is trying to out-do yesterday’s performance. I have been taking sunrise/sunset pictures since the first day we … Continue reading →

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Alice and me

Posted on November 8, 2019

I have a confession to make, I am no longer the size I was in high school. I know it seems shocking, but I am never going to be that size again. For my birthday I was given a bit … Continue reading →

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Coaches

Posted on November 7, 2019

I love to watch sports movies, especially the underdog story. Two of my favorites are Necessary Roughness (1991) and Facing the Giants (2006). In each movie the team needs direction and wisdom to succeed. Their coach is the one who … Continue reading →

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