penny's pages
purposeful ponderings
Here are the books I completed during the first month of my personal summer reading challenge. Out of the Deep I Cry by Julie Spencer-Fleming Five Stars I am enjoying Julie Spencer-Fleming’s Fergusson/Van Alstyne Mysteries. This is the third book in the series, and they are improving with each book. I think this one is […]
When I view the steps of the writing process–understanding there is purpose and delight in every part–I know I have appreciated most the process of revision. Some writers have a once-and-done approach, and maybe some can claim to getting the writing right on the first try. But, I have found that there is greater freedom […]
In April, I was asked by a friend who teaches at a private school to answer her high school seniors’ questions about what it means to be a writer. While these answers were provided for a specific audience, I hope everyone viewing my video responses will learn more about the writing life.
Can you imagine how different each of us and this world would be if we gave God the pen to write in the planner of our life? I read this question during my devotions this morning, and it caught my attention. Good thing, because my mind was not completely focused on what I had been […]
For the reader, two words signify the culmination of a literary journey. If the excursion through navigating the pages offers enough intrigue, adventure, and mischance, then those two words may elicit feelings of bittersweet satisfaction. If the experience is grueling, plodding, and outright boring to the point that the reader asks “Are we there yet?,” […]
Last week, I traveled with my husband and two of my sons to Crane Lake, Minnesota. The closer we got to our destination, the density of the trees increased, and our connection with the outside world weakened. This location is all about social distancing. Even if COVID-19 restrictions hadn’t limited our ability to visit tourist […]
Poets write about major events, but most often we describe them within small moment. One of my favorite poems is by William Carlos Williams. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45502/the-red-wheelbarrow There is so much mystery packed into this dependable poem. It is precisely what it is. Yet, it alludes to more. Small moments are defining in ways we don’t anticipate. […]
This is the traditional season of celebrations. Graduations and weddings fill our calendars this time of year. In my own and my extended family, there are eight birthdays starting at the beginning of May and ending in mid-June. This is the time when we prepare for vacations, reunions, and outdoor gatherings. But, this year we […]
One of the highlights of my childhood was going to our public library with my own library card and signing up for the summer reading challenge. Admittedly, I had grand goals of filling in all those lines. I did read. A lot. I just don’t know that I ever filled in every line. I might […]
We are nearing the halfway-point for 2020. Perhaps it’s the understatement of the year to say that the first half of this year has been anything but normal. Many things have happened. Many things have not. Many things happened we never imagined would happen. Many things we wish never had. Yet, I realized something as […]
