Donna Jackson
Chasing a Rabbit Born of Water
You’ve laced up your boots, strapped on your backpack, and headed down a well-worn and familiar path. Before seeing them, you can picture every tall tree, mossy boulder, and narrow stream. You smile when you see your own boot prints etched in the dirt along the way. You know the trail by heart because you’ve…
Graduating with a Friend
As I watched my oldest grandson graduate from high school, a tsunami of memories washed over me. There were 699 in my graduating class. On graduation night, names were called, and faces came forward that I didn’t recognize. Unlike my grandson, I didn’t graduate with a whole lot of honors, but I was good friends…
Unforced Rhythms of Grace
Our fearless foursome had been transported over land, sea, and air from one Greek map dot to another. It had been a glorious week of capturing picturesque scenery, savoring Mediterranean cuisine, and soaking up Greek culture. However, our vacation was over, and it was time to return home. As we stood in the TSA line,…
What’s Your Legacy?
Not long ago, our oldest grandson asked Ron and me if we had to read Macbeth in school. We said we had, and I asked him if he’d read Romeo and Juliet. Before he could answer, I blew layers of dust off the centuries-old “what-light-through-yonder-window-breaks” quote I’d memorized 50 years ago. After delivering it with all the dramatic flair…
Why We Don’t Put Carts Before Horses
When our oldest grandchildren were small, we bought a little wooden cart and a pony named Sally. Ron would gather the bridle and harness, hook Sally to the cart, nestle the little ones next to him, and off they would trot down the road. Clip clop. Clip clop. Squeals of delight quickly interrupted the tunes…
Take A Nice, Long Dip
It’s Tuesday, and the 12th-grade literature test you’ve put off studying for is tomorrow. You know you should have already read the entire play and made notes. However, you quietly mutter, “Who has time to read?” Besides, Shakespeare’s Old English is hard when you’re so accustomed to new English. You can feel your heart begin…
Lord, Make Me A Bromeliad
Last week, Ron and I traveled to South Florida with my son and his family. While there, we enjoyed a fan boat tour of the Everglades. Our young, humorous tour guide expertly navigated the four of us through sparkling waters amongst grassy paths. Indeed, the most powerful evidence of a Supreme Being is demonstrated through…
Rounding Third, Headed for Home
Have you ever recorded your team’s sporting event only to have a well-meaning chatterbox reveal who won? There is a marked difference in how we watch a game when we already know our team has won. Sure, we’re interested in the big plays and the color commentary, but our pulse remains steady. There is no…
Hand in Hand
This year, I chose to slow down and meander through the New Testament rather than skedaddle through all of Holy Scripture. It’s amazing what you see when you roll the windows down, let the fresh air blow through your hair, and inhale the scenery. I am still amazed by the analogies, metaphors, and allegories Jesus…