Posts
Time Wasted. (Learning Peace When Plans Derail.)
I’ve bet you’ve had a day like this too… and maybe it wasn’t wasted after all.
The Price and Cost of the Ultimate Freedom
Unless you’re an accountant, you’ve probably never thought about the difference between price and cost. I didn’t until today. But while we may use the words interchangeably, there is a notable difference. Cost is what it takes to produce something; price is what someone pays for it. This is straight forward when we’re talking about…
I Need You to be Okay Without Me
This post is about my dog. And about so much more than my dog. It’s also about me, and possibly you, too. You see, when the pandemic hit, I was one of the lucky ones. Through a series of fortunate arrangements, I have been working remotely for the past two years. My dog loves this…
Don’t Mess with Mama Bird (A reflection on the soft fierceness of a mother’s love)
In the tree outside my window there is a little nest. On the electrical line that runs not far away there is a giant black bird. This is not a good combination. From the oversized tail feathers and the car-alarm-competing cry, my bird book tells me the giant black bird is a great tailed grackle.…
Heading for Takeout
There’s a saying in my family: When Janet heads to the kitchen (that’s me), then everyone else heads for takeout. I’m fully convinced I could headline on the “Worst Cooks in America” if I could just survive in the kitchen long enough to submit an audition tape. Some of my culinary mishaps are the stuff…
Thinking Sad. And How Not To.
Sometimes there are sad thoughts I have to think. Life, it turns out, is not always happy. But sometimes there are sad thoughts I don’t have to think… and I think them anyway. I bet this has happened to you, too: I could be going about my day seemingly fine and the next thing I…
A Red Pencil Trail
My arsenal was my Bible and a red pencil. I didn’t think about how long it would take or the rationality of my approach. I wanted to know: what does it mean to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength? If this is the greatest commandment, which it is clearly stated to…
It’s Time
The new year is a good time to think about new beginnings, but it certainly isn’t the only time. Into creation God has built cycles, seasons, and even mandates that prompt us to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and start all over again. And again. From the beginning, God established a 7-day cycle of…
Making Sense of it All
“It doesn’t have to make sense, it has to make faith.” I was in a small group discussion where one of the ladies was relaying a conversation she had with a pastor. As someone who likes to make sense of everything, I was struck by this point. Sometimes things would be easier to endure if…
Some Things are Worth Repeating
Instant replays. Silly jokes. Favorite stories. Oh sure, we may roll our eyes at the 200th telling… unless of course we’re the one doing the telling. When you’re reminiscing with a friend, the stories just get better with age. The memory can take you back until you can see it, taste it, feel it. The…
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Meet Janet!
Janet Beagle, PhD is the founder of The Mustard Patch. She divides her time between the Midwest and New England, and if she’s not writing, she’s probably out hiking with her 2-and 4-footed friends.