Last week, I joined the boys in the pond – a welcome relief from the heat and humidity. We splashed around, they climbed me like a jungle gym, they begged me to throw them into the water. When I got tired, I climbed onto the floating dock. I untied the yellow rope from the post […]
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Out of Place – Madhukanta’s Story It has been more than 26 years since I first set foot on this vast land. I was barefoot. My shoes were hurting after the long flight and I was carrying them in my hand. This was after getting married, somewhat hurriedly, to someone I had never met before. […]
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When we moved to France when I was seven, my mom discovered that peanut butter was an American product. She searched high and low in every grocery store, determined to find that quick and easy lunch spread. One day, she came home with a tin can: she had finally found peanut butter in a specialty […]
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Out of Place – Melissa’s Story A stare comes from the person across from me with raised eyebrows and squinted eyes as they try to smile. A feeling of awkwardness comes over me. “Oh, I was too much!” I think to myself. “Why am I so excited talking about buying vegetables for a new recipe […]
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Every time I see the mosaic sculptures at Waterfront Park in downtown San Diego, I’m impressed. By no means are they the most awe-inspiring examples of this ancient art form, but I love the intricate pop of color they provide, set against the gray buildings of downtown. Mosaic art dates back to centuries before Christ […]
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Out of Place Series – Elisa’s Story I never expected that mommying wasn’t really my thing until I became a mama. Although my childhood fell short of sunshine and roses, I had a great family life growing up. I came from good Christian stock, with a tint of hippie love and missionary-radical in the mix. […]
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Hello, my name is Sarah and I’m a recovering people pleaser. I do not want to let you down. I will jump through all the hoops to make sure you like me and think I’m nice. Disappointing you makes me physically uncomfortable. The temptation is strong Last year, I was approached by two moms at […]
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Out of Place Series – Brooke’s Story We have all heard the saying, “like a square peg in a round hole.” I always imagine one of those toy buckets with all the shaped pegs and the lid that has the same shape holes in the top. You know the one. Each time I hear this, […]
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One morning last week, I grabbed my pen and notebook and set out to do my daily fifteen minutes of writing. The boys were watching some morning cartoons and I pressed pause to let them know I was starting my writing. “Please don’t interrupt me for the next fifteen minutes,” I said. They nodded, eager […]
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Out of Place Series – Meghan’s Story Wringing my hands is a nervous habit. Picking at my nails, biting the inside of my lip, too. And I was doing all of that at once my first night of small group. With hesitating steps I rang the doorbell of the church, and the warm if not […]
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Sarah K. Butterfield 