Posts by writingjoy
Hell Should Never Be a Punchline
“What do we learn about God here?” the teacher asked. I stared at the horrifying verse in my Bible. “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created.” I felt sick as I pictured little children drowning in the Genesis flood. My mouth remained closed while others in the…
Read MoreOn Outside Influences ~ Marriage Letters
Dear Scott, When I think about outside influences on our marriage, I think of everything outside the two of us. We have had many outside influences, but if I had to identify two of the most significant so far, I would point to Children’s Hospital and the church in which you served as an elder.…
Read MoreCommunity: Born in an Airport ~ Five Minute Friday
I scanned the faces in the terminal nervously, looking for a glimpse of the tiny little avatars that streamed by in my Twitter feed. We were about to spend a week with each other, and here was the moment of truth. So many were “well-known” online and I was no-one, and I wondered if I…
Read MoreTapped Out ~ Life: Unmasked
The nurse explained, “He’s on the phone with the surgeon discussing the options. He’s concerned about the right side.” I frown. “I thought the issue was with the left side. I didn’t think he’d do anything anywhere else.” She paused. “I don’t know. He’s done all his measurements and they are concerned about the right…
Read MorePowerful Words Are Like Tabasco Sauce ~ Just Write
He reads slowly, painfully slow to a speed reader like myself. But he savors every word, every nuance, and looks up with full grasp of what the black-and-white says. I so easily forget what the letters and spaces say I get so buried in the dialogue and context in my head. He thinks for a…
Read MoreEnduring Loss Together ~ Marriage Letters
Dear Scott, We’ve lost a lot in our almost 14 years: pets, keys, tempers, money, time. We’ve lost our way, and we’ve lost our youthful innocence (and now I’m trying to lose the cynicism that took Innocence’s place). None of this was too much of a surprise, really – anyone who lives and loves should…
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