• Living Vertically

    A Day Without Anniversary. Only Leaping.

    I have talked about leaping so often in the last few years that TODAY must have been placed here for me to celebrate … and leap again. You’ll have to forgive me, but this is my day.  It might have been invented to correct the bad math of a solar year versus the 24-hour days that makeup a calendar year…

  • Living Vertically,  The Story

    Giving Up Lent (not)

    I’ve traveled a somewhat circuitous pathway from the religious rules of my childhood, to a new understanding of the full work of Jesus-God (which is emphatically law-averse for many good reasons), to a new independent place where I know that God sees through all spiritual camouflage.  It is our hearts He wants – because only then can He free us…

  • Featured,  The Story

    The Crash That Killed

    Ten years ago today I woke up at the normal time to start the day, but my emotions were out of sorts. Indescribable and awkward. Not before or since, do I remember having such an uneasy anxiety inside of me.  I crawled back into bed and pulled the covers up over my face, leaving only my eyes peering out (obviously…

  • Living Vertically,  Our Kids, Our Family

    Friday’s Word: TRIANGULATE!

    Seth Godin used it today and I knew right away I had to start a new game: The Friday Word.  (i do so love to be unexpected.) TRIANGULATING IS EVERYWHERE. Satellites triangulate global positioning and tell us which streets will get us where we want to go. Google triangulates web traffic and our clicking and also tells us where we…

  • Living Vertically,  The Mystery of Marriage

    One More Thing

    “Excuse me, Ma’am, I have a follow-up comment?” I will never pretend to know whether or not a struggling marriage can be saved or a person should stay and try to make it work, or dust their feet.  That is one of the most painful and personal decisions any person can make. It is true that God can do anything,…

  • Living Vertically,  The Mystery of Marriage

    Knowing Favorites.

    He sent us away because it would feed our hearts. When I gently mentioned to Steve that I so wanted to go see Erik play basketball at his Multnomah University in Portland Oregon – and that Erik was genuinely begging to have me bring Jack and Riley too – my gallant husband embarked on a mission.  Now you should know…

  • Living Vertically,  Our Kids, Our Family

    Commands Equal Love

    We leave for our seven day trip to Portland Oregon to visit Erik’s school and see two Multnomah Lions basketball games!  Since I’m outnumbered without Steve, we begin with a reminder of the instructions that are important for a six year old to hear regularly. [box] Stay close. We’ll be in crowded places and sometimes having to move quickly to…