The first time I heard the heart-wrenching ballad, “Here’s to the ones who dream” from the movie La La Land, I cried. I didn’t cry because of the acting. Although it was good. I didn’t cry because of how the ballad displayed the character’s resilience in a story of apparent failure. Although it definitely did […]
A House with Many Rooms
I recently moved from a two-bedroom unit to a four-bedroom house. Ok, it is really five bedrooms, if you count the media room. It felt slightly strange to move to such a large house. There are only two of us, you see. And the cat. We are a small family, no children, no plans to […]
When Illness Kills Your Carpe Diem
Chronic illness sucks. Some days are not too bad, and it just sits quietly in the wings, biding its time. Then there are days like I had last week, when it kicks your legs out from under you. I was sitting at an appointment. It was a long sit. Three hours, to be exact. The […]
Why Conference is Like a Kitchen
Last week I went to the Omega Christian Writer’s conference. It was amazing. There were many inviting things on offer. There was a great keynote speaker who inspired us to write well and to use our creative gifts for God. He made us laugh and think and relish the opportunity to string words together for […]
Unapologetic
Today is the start of the 2019 Omega christian writer’s conference. I cannot wait. My bags are packed. I’m all ready to go. There are so many things to look forward to. Seeing old friends. Meeting new people. Buying books. Lots and lots of books. Learning how to be a better writer. One of my […]
Problems of Perpetual Singledom
A single thirtysomething friend recently told me about their increasing sense of isolation. “All the people I used to hang out with, five years ago, are now married,” she lamented. “I no longer have any friends.” Apparently, when some people get married, they no longer hang out with their single friends. Something shifts in our […]
When a Christian is Childless
We sat at the church function at one of those big round tables that can fit four couples around it. My husband and I listened in silent horror as the other three couples at the table freely and unashamedly bashed childless people. “Childless people have no idea what it’s like to be a parent,” they […]
Why Perfectionism and Chronic Illness Don’t Mix
I am a born perfectionist. I grew up with the work-hard, follow-the-rules, be-a-good-Christian-girl mentality. I walk into a room and spot the dirt. I hear when a singer is singing flat. I notice spelling mistakes in books. I am not looking for these things, but they are the first things I see. Perfectionism is based […]
Singledom – Or the Social Leper Syndrome, Part 2
A moment of inspiration After an agonising few years of self-doubt and frustration, it slowly dawned on me that maybe I was not alone. Maybe there were other Christians in their late twenties like me, unhappily single, alone, looking for support. Maybe there were resources out there for such singles and I just needed to […]
Singledom – Or The Social Leper Syndrome, Part 1
I got married a little later in life. Ok, it wasn’t actually that late. I was twenty-nine years old. I can already hear the disbelieving laughter. “Twenty-nine? Come back and talk to me when you are fifty and still single!” I know, right? I am aware that, compared to most of society, twenty-nine does not […]