So much fills our senses this time of year. Baubles on trees. Music jingle-jangling through every speaker. And stories of all sizes and skill-sets. From tall tales told by uncles around the table to the newest holiday book on display at the store, from romances set in Pinterest-styled living rooms to bedtime dramas about flyingContinue reading “God With Us: Goodness”
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True Belonging: Heirlooms
Among other possible titles, I dubbed 2020 “The Summer of Moves” — my parents moved to a retirement community, my sons to an apartment, my husband and I to a new state. Boxes, packing paper, and tape ruled our evenings and weekends for months. One box slipped into the fray that I didn’t open tillContinue reading “True Belonging: Heirlooms”
Journey of Joy: Week Fifteen — Homecoming
I love that you’ve stayed my faithful travel companion for nearly four months, exploring joy from many facets and at every phase of desiring, seeking, and living it. We’ve immersed ourselves in Scripture and story and self-discovery to unearth everything about God, joy, and ourselves so that we can learn to embrace and exude aContinue reading “Journey of Joy: Week Fifteen — Homecoming”
Journey of Joy: Week Fourteen — Learning a New Culture
Surrounded by people chanting prayers in a city that was ancient yet new to me, everything felt a bit surreal. But when I saw a young Jewish couple wearing their traditional clothes in the middle of Old Jerusalem while pushing a very typical twenty-first century stroller, a light bulb went on. I grasped the realnessContinue reading “Journey of Joy: Week Fourteen — Learning a New Culture”
Journey of Joy: Week Thirteen — Experiencing the New
The first time I went away for a weeklong girls’ trip, my eyes opened to a whole new way of exploring and experiencing a new place. We moved at our own pace without children dictating the stops or menu choices, ordering local fare that excited our taste buds with flavors of rich southern goodness. WeContinue reading “Journey of Joy: Week Thirteen — Experiencing the New”
Journey of Joy: Week Twelve — Seeing the Sights
Stomachs growling, our group of four left the airport late at night to find a restaurant in a city we didn’t know, and did we ever find the right one! The Agave and Rye turned out to be full of surprises — its artsy views, its heated back patio, and its delicious food. But nothingContinue reading “Journey of Joy: Week Twelve — Seeing the Sights”
Journey of Joy: Week Eleven — Destination
When my husband and I are wheels down in Italy for our someday-dream-trip, we will have finally arrived at our destination. And not. Because if we only ever stayed at the airport, we would not have had much of a vacation. Think of all the places we’d want to go while in Italy — Tuscany,Continue reading “Journey of Joy: Week Eleven — Destination”
Journey of Joy: Week Ten — Delays, Detours, and Disappointments
It rained the whole week. Here we’d planned a much-needed getaway to our favorite city on the South Carolina coast, and instead of warm, life-giving sunshine, we had to splash our way through town with umbrellas and jackets. This wasn’t what I’d wanted. The temptation to pout and give in to disappointment-induced-grouchiness, nearly overtook us.Continue reading “Journey of Joy: Week Ten — Delays, Detours, and Disappointments”
Journey of Joy: Week Nine — Meeting People
In the weeks leading up to my second trip to the Holy Land, I had several people encourage me to focus not only on the dead stones, all the holy sites, but to look upon the living stones, the people who live there, as well. Knowing this trip would be different than my first becauseContinue reading “Journey of Joy: Week Nine — Meeting People”
Journey of Joy: Week Eight — Stops Along the Way
In our 30 years of marriage, my husband, Larry, has preferred to be the driver on vacations because, in his own words, “I want to get there.” He was not implying that if I drove we’d get lost and never get there but that I’d drive slower. And he wanted to get there. Now thatContinue reading “Journey of Joy: Week Eight — Stops Along the Way”
Shelley Johnson 