In our last episode, I have been struck down with pain in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, making it difficult to walk. Read on to find out what happens next… The pain slowly eased off after about two weeks and I was able to manage most walks—and even stairs. I had another brief bout of […]
Travel Diaries of a Sick Girl: It Still Sucks, But the View’s Amazing! – Part 1
I recently went traipsing through Europe. I ate German sausage in Bavaria, walked over the mountains of Switzerland and shopped in Austria. I did other things too (in case you were wondering) but the food and the mountains were the highlights. And shopping at Swarovski. I was pretty sick while overseas. For those of you […]
Creativity is Inefficient—And That’s a Good Thing
As a kid, I loved to daydream. I would sit for hours, staring through my bedroom window into the backyard, imaging all sorts of characters going on quests and having adventures. My toys and LEGO constructions mirrored these daytime fantasies, and I enjoyed books that took me into other worlds too. I started writing stories […]
Is Writing Cathartic?
‘How wonderful to express your pain through writing,’ people often enthuse. ‘It must be so cathartic!’ Yes—and no. On the one hand, I find it helpful to get my feelings onto paper or screen. Seeing things in black and white can give me clarity about my problems, not to mention perspective. Sometimes, when I write […]
It’s Conference Time!
Tonight the 2023 Omega Christian Writer’s Conference begins. I’m just a tiny bit excited about this. Why? It’s not just the opportunity to think more creatively, learn about the business and art of writing, and spend time actually writing. It’s not just the inspirational talks, the information and resources, and the practical help offered by […]
A Vocation of Existing
I had big dreams as a kid. I loved singing, acting and being on the stage. I wanted to do something musical and creative with my life. Then, as a teenager, I encountered God in a radical way. I had always known God, but he took my life and rearranged it, in the way a […]
Single AND Content? In This Economy?
It’s funny how contentment can shift as time passes. For years, I was content being single. People around me were getting married, having babies, trialling separation. I felt genuinely happy for them (or sympathetic, in the case of separation), without even a glimmer of jealousy or discontentment. Occasionally I felt lonely, living solo in my […]
Wintering
Look to the animal kingdom. They know what to do when the cold weather sets in. They know instinctively how to respond when the icy wind whips through the streets and under our doors, slicing through our clothing like knives, making us shiver with the effort of keeping warm. The animals have a plan when […]
Finding Rest
I received so many comments in response to last weeks’ blog that I figured they warranted their own blog! It seems many readers could relate to the concept of rest not being restful whether because of chronic illness, pain, fatigue or sleep problems. It’s good to know we are not alone. Here follows the helpful […]
When Rest is Not Restful
There’s no rest for the wicked—or the chronically ill. When friends tell me, ‘Take care,’ or ‘Look after yourself,’ I seldom know how to respond. It’s hard to take care of myself when I live with chronic illness. Things can flare without warning. Pain can knock me sideways. Sometimes I have to say no to […]