For several weeks I’ve busily prepared for the holidays. The house is decked out in Christmas finery: the tree is lit, garlands cover the stairway and windows, and angels and nativities adorn the tabletops. Holiday meals are cooked, and the pantry is stocked. Treats wait for children and grandchildren to indulge. Gifts, wrapped in red,Continue reading “Is There Room at the Inn?”
Author Archives: nancyhamiltonsturm
December Waiting
December Waiting December is a month filled with contrasts. Days are shorter. Nights longer. Clouds fill the sky and darken the sun. Winter’s wind breathes frost on the grass and trees. Once again, we don gloves, scarves, and warm winter coats. But under the darkness, under the cold, lie promises. Promises of longer, warmer days.Continue reading “December Waiting”
First Kiss
Frost has kissed the forest. Dead leaves flutter from the trees, making Autumn’s golden snowfall litter the stream. My feet crunch through the leafy debris as the trees lift barren branches skyward. It’s silent here. No cars roar. No people chatter. High in the treetops the wind blows, roaring past leafless branches. All around meContinue reading “First Kiss”
Flowing Over Obstacles
Flowing Over Obstacles The stream meanders, making its way through fallen leaves, gray, broken branches, and rich, fertile earth. My feet crunch the dried leaves as I approach the stream. Bending and twisting, it flows around rocks and under the narrow walking bridge. Algae flourishes just beneath its green water. I find a large, flatContinue reading “Flowing Over Obstacles”
Safe in His Arms
Today I venture off the usual broad path through the mowed natural grasslands. I wander onto the narrow, curving paths that transport me into a tree filled shadow land, cool and welcoming. I marvel at the quiet calm, broken only by the sound of my footsteps and intermittent bird calls. The shadows provide a welcomeContinue reading “Safe in His Arms”
A Deeper Look
Do you remember how the Pharisees tested Jesus by asking Him which was the greatest commandment in the law? You know, the one where He passed the test with this reply: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second is likeContinue reading “A Deeper Look”
After 9-11
Television reveals the horrors: smoking ruins, shattered lives, loved ones lost, distraught survivors. Voices drone: retaliation, anthrax, fears of hijacking and destruction. Bombs drop, troops search for terrorists. There are wars and rumors of wars. Walking in the woods, all this recedes. Nature’s orchestra plays a peaceful melody, directed by an unseen hand. The windContinue reading “After 9-11”
Vacuuming the Carpet
As I vacuum the carpet, the motion and humming of the machine soothes me. Hungrily, it picks up dirt and debris from the floor. The bits of torn paper and the little clumps of dirt are whisked away by its wind. With nothing on my mind but the cleaning, I ponder the hidden dirt theContinue reading “Vacuuming the Carpet”
Tapping Along
After many years of participating in tap classes, I’m still loving them. For me, everything about the experience is positive. I meet new friends, get some exercise, and challenge myself to learn something new. At times, I must admit, I find my head spinning with so many new steps and terms: shuffle, flap, buffalo, brush,Continue reading “Tapping Along”
A Woodland Sanctuary
As I walked the nature trails, I wandered off the beaten path. Large toadstools nestled under a grove of blue spruce trees attracted my attention. Pushing aside branches, I walked fifteen feet, entering a small clearing. The ground, carpeted with years of accumulated needles, felt soft beneath my feet. A chorus of crickets broke theContinue reading “A Woodland Sanctuary”
