Category Archives: joy

Little Joys—Synchronicity

You hear a sermon on Sunday morning. Unbeknownst to the pastor, you’ve been reading that exact same passage of Scripture; you even journaled about it earlier in the week. Then, a book you pick up that seems to have absolutely nothing to do with the sermon or the Scripture resonates, and your husband says, “IContinue reading “Little Joys—Synchronicity”

Little Joys—Blankets

I begin my day on a recliner in our office with a blue throw blanket my daughter, Lydia, bought me. Its tassels are slowly being gnawed off by our puppy, Ruby, who also chewed up not one but two blue pens while lying on it, so now there are a few indigo splotches here andContinue reading “Little Joys—Blankets”

Little Joys—Waffle Cones

We went with friends to Carolina Beach for spring break this year, and one of the stops we made (twice? maybe three times?) was at a little ice cream shop called Boombalatti’s. Not only was the ice cream so good we went back twice or maybe three times, but they make waffle cones in-house. YouContinue reading “Little Joys—Waffle Cones”

Little Joys—Izzy and Ruby

Izzy came to us the week we learned my mom’s cancer had come back as stage IV kidney cancer, and in the seven years since, she has been the default therapy dog in the house. Ruby joined the crew last Christmas, marking the beginning of the year that we learned Mom’s cancer is gone… NEDContinue reading “Little Joys—Izzy and Ruby”

Little Joys—Neural Intimacy

“The answer is always yes.” This is the latest rule of life in the Wells marriage. And yes, the first marriage thing you thought of is on the list, along with hot tea, nachos, and bourbon. There is no reason to ask whether the other of us wants tea, or nachos, or bourbon, or sex,Continue reading “Little Joys—Neural Intimacy”

Little Joys—From Scratch

Sometime in the last decade, cooking became less of a chore and more of a pleasure. I have a poem, “A Liturgy for the Preparation of a Meal” by Douglas McKelvey framed on the wall in our kitchen. Its words are in my view while I chop vegetables, measure spices, and stir pots of soup.Continue reading “Little Joys—From Scratch”

Little Joys—Mini-Cheese Advent Calendars

It’s December 1… do you know what this means?! This means I can open up the first window in my Aldi box of Emporium Selection Advent Cheese Calendar! Also, it means the beginning of advent, the beginning of 24 days of family activities, the beginning of holding space for hope and anticipation. But also, rightContinue reading “Little Joys—Mini-Cheese Advent Calendars”

Little Joys—Advent

Back in May, I asked my Facebook friends to share songs that celebrated the little joys of life. I asked because I was scared. The frailty and finitude of life was right there, right in front of my face in the form of microcalcifications in my right breast. I waited a month for answers. InContinue reading “Little Joys—Advent”

Experiencing the Transformative Power of the Lord and the Joy of Incarnational Community

I preached for the first time on Thursday, September 22, at The Well, a campus ministry on the campus at Ashland University. The subject of the sermon was on two parts of The Well’s mission statement: to “Encounter the Transformative Power of the Lord” and to “Experience the Joy of Incarnational Community.” Here is whatContinue reading “Experiencing the Transformative Power of the Lord and the Joy of Incarnational Community“