elizabeth's Profile

sometimes the ugly in the world threatens to overwhelm. don't let your light go out, friends. but if you feel your light fading, if you feel worthless or inadequate or like you have failed and failed and failed, i will... Continue reading

Posted Sep 24, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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just five things {from sunday}

what are the chances .:. of finding the pen i wanted in the drawer at dispatch? .:. of Maddie reaching behind the pile of shirts and coming up with the one she wanted? .:. of Ben still being in town... Continue reading

Posted Sep 23, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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reading in the sunshine

on sunday it was sunny - very little smoke in the air for the first time in many days. so i sat outside and in the cool of the morning and read in my Bible - in Genesis and Psalms... Continue reading

Posted Sep 7, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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from tuesday night

they are moving cattle at the sale barn in the cool of the night the sound wafts to me as i sit outside the back door at dispatch breathing the coolness, listening to bawling cattle the clank of the trucks... Continue reading

Posted Sep 6, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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dear teresa, i love that you so faithfully read and comment. you are a bright light in my life. i hope that you feel joy and a great sense of blessing and peace today. with love, elizabeth

Commented Sep 4, 2020 on these are my questions at bits of sunshine

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these are my questions

how is the sky new every moment? will i always feel awe and wonder at the sky itself, and also all of the things that fly in it - birds and helicopters and airplanes and dragonflies? what actually is wrong... Continue reading

Posted Sep 3, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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first day of school! first day of school!

Isaac :: first day of sophomore year :: 15.5 years old :: Maddie :: first day of junior year :: almost 17 years old :: And just for comparison :: first day of school picture from last year :: to... Continue reading

Posted Sep 3, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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hello dear teresa! this has been such a full (and mostly wonderful) summer. i am loving doing the projects to make our house more and more our own and a reflection of us. i hope that your day is lovely, as well!

Commented Sep 1, 2020 on summertime at bits of sunshine

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summertime

blossoms (on our trees and in my food) flowers (in pots by our front door and in the gardens in front of our house) painting (almost done with the whole exterior of the house) fishing (isaac, and isaac with ben,... Continue reading

Posted Aug 31, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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sometimes mondays

sometimes mondays look like all of the coffee and converse tennis shoes and a bag full of to-dos and claiming five minutes to write five things Continue reading

Posted Aug 24, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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what if all words are sacred

yesterday morning, i was thinking about words what if all my words are a prayer either a blessing or a curse what if all words are sacred will i invite blessing? will i dole out a curse? what if all... Continue reading

Posted Aug 8, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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wildfire

today, ben told me there was a fire just south of town. i walked outside to smoke in the air and i texted ben, "it smells like the world is on fire" he texted back, "it kind of is" "how... Continue reading

Posted Aug 6, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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heart-spill

teenagers :: i have two of them :: in my house for just a few more years :: maddie will be 17 in less than two months :: isaac is 15 going on 16 :: they both have their drivers... Continue reading

Posted Jul 26, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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the letter F

i'll tell you why this isn't a contest. this isn't a contest. what is this? my work? my life? my marriage? my parenting? my hairstyle? how many friends i have in real life or on facebook or instagram? or how... Continue reading

Posted Jul 14, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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prayer

prayer is about noticing both beauty and pain and naming these praying attention not just talking about praying but giving our full attention noticing deeply and naming what we notice this changes us from the inside the beautiful outcome of... Continue reading

Posted Jul 1, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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five little {or not so little} things

this bouquet :: flowers from my garden these headphones :: for hearing the depth of the music this polaroid :: they dressed up and posed with me this email :: and the emails every day this week from my mom... Continue reading

Posted Jun 26, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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i'm glad it made you laugh. :) all of this is strange and sometimes wonderful and sometimes hard. i hope that you are still getting to spend time with the ones who are the most important to you! xoxo, e

Commented Jun 26, 2020 on zoom at bits of sunshine

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zoom

... zoom ... almost impossible to make eye contact but i can see you see up your nose sometimes and i see glimpses of your space and i can see myself and the space around me as though i were... Continue reading

Posted Jun 25, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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on reading cane river

In 2002, Cane River by Lalita Tademy was on my Grandma Eva's bookshelf. That the book was on her shelf, and that she had apparently read it, were both interesting facts. She is the grandparent who, when I was in... Continue reading

Posted Jun 24, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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ten plus one

i feel like i am swimming upstream. or like i am slogging through thick, deep mud. or that i am on a beach of loose rocks that make every step shifting and difficult. there is so much on my mind... Continue reading

Posted Jun 22, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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day 25

this is day 25. that means the 21-day assignment is over and today is the last day of travel. that means that this evening, we will all 4 be home together! before ben left, i asked for a picture of... Continue reading

Posted Jun 16, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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two lists of *way more than* ten

two lists that have been in my notebook for just over a week now: the one on a yellow post-it is all instagram accounts - some i have followed for a long time, some i have found recently - all... Continue reading

Posted Jun 10, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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and peace be with you, t. love, e

Commented Jun 10, 2020 on this post is harsh - harshly full of love at bits of sunshine

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hi leah - you are one of the people who were on my mind as i wrote this. i have a list in my journal of my "why" for pursuing these conversations - you and your husband and children are on my list. i know that you and i haven't always seen eye-to-eye on all of the things over the years, but i want you to know that some of the things you pointed out to me and some of the things we disagreed about have stuck with me and have helped to form the way i think now . . . i continue to learn, i continue to grow in openness and in thought processes . . . and - thank you - for being you, and for being here, in this space.

Commented Jun 10, 2020 on this post is harsh - harshly full of love at bits of sunshine

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this post is harsh - harshly full of love

i fully admit that this graphic is harsh. i know that it to some of you, my readers and friends, it feels like it is too harsh. and since i created it two days ago, when i have thought about... Continue reading

Posted May 30, 2020 at bits of sunshine

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