A SLICE OF LIFE
The Author’s Purpose
Exploring perspectives on the art and craft of literacy instruction.
These pieces are snapshots from an earlier season of my writing journey—stories, memories, and everyday reflections written before The Wells of Grace was born. Though less overtly spiritual than my current writing, the seeds of faith, grace, and accompaniment are quietly woven throughout.
Monkeying Around #SOL17
Posted on March 7, 2017 In this slice, I reminisce on a time when my mother went back to work, leaving my brothers and I on our own for a short while until she came home. Although fighting was inevitable, more often than not, we surprised ourselves with ingenious...
The Neighborhood Watch #SOL17
Posted on March 5, 2017 As mentioned in an earlier post, I grew up in a tight knit neighborhood, filled with baby boomers and friends that were as close as family. Safety and freedom were never an issue – kids played independently and our doors remained unlocked....
The Sounds of Silence #SOL17
Posted on March 4, 2017 In this slice, I take pause to think about how my mother unknowlingly influenced my desire to write. That coupled with an innate desire to be heard is why I have kept journals my whole life. “Long before I could really write, someone must...
Kindergarten Charades #SOL17
Posted on March 3, 2017 This memory is the one my children, nieces and nephews love to hear. Since my mom, their grandmother, passed away at the ripe young age of fifty-nine, they have few of their own memories of her, so they appreciate when my brothers and I...
Kitten Crime #SOL17
Posted on March 2, 2017 In keeping with my goal of tracking family memories, here’s another. Although this is drafted more like a personal essay, I may revise it into a narrative. For now, I wanted to set-up the setting, so that my children, nieces and nephews...
Drama at the Drive-In #SOL17
Posted on March 1, 2017 As the K-5 literacy coach in my district, I receive a great amount of professional development and in turn, offer workshops to our teachers. One of my favorites was one led by Amy Ludwig Vaderwater entitled, “Teacher as Writer/Writer as...
Honoring the Process and Product of Writing
Posted on January 25, 2015 For the last seven weeks, I’ve been home recuperating from two surgeries. The first was planned, to repair a torn ligament on my foot, while the second, my gallbladder removal – Bonus! was not. What started as a...
Believe in the Power of One Little Word
Posted on January 4, 2015 Last Saturday, I joined my niece and sister-in-law to shop for my niece’s wedding gown. To say it was a special day would be an understatement. As Kristin’s doting aunt, her favorite she assures me, and a closet fan of...
As a literacy teacher and instructional coach, I have long believed that writers grow by writing. These pieces were written primarily in 2017 as part of the Two Writing Teachers’ March Slice of Life Challenge, which encouraged participants to write and publish a short piece each day.
What began as a writing exercise became an opportunity to capture childhood memories, family stories, and everyday moments for my children, nieces, and nephews. Because the challenge emphasized daily writing rather than polished publication, many of these reflections were written quickly and remain snapshots in time.
Readers may notice glimpses of the faith that has always been quietly present in my life. Though I was not yet writing as openly about God as I do today, the seeds were already there, woven through memories, observations, and moments of grace.
While these writings differ from the reflections found in Pausing to Ponder, they remain an important part of my journey as a writer. Looking back, I can see how God was preparing me, one story at a time, to write more boldly about faith, accompaniment, and His grace at work in everyday life.
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